Guardian Angel
by HadesGhostHouse
Summary: An obsessive brat named Jace won't leave Clary alone. All the while her Mother is missing and she's been flung into a whole new world. Simon and a new friend just barely manages to keep her sanity. (Good Jonathon. Anti-Clace fic.)
1. Coffee Drama

_**just somethings i feel i need to say firstly**_

 _ **1) I have never seen the Shadowhunters show. I watched the first couple episodes, got bored and stopped caring.**_

 _ **2) I am a hard Clace hater. I have no intention of writing any ship for Clary. I'm considering Sizzy, but I'm not sure.**_

 _ **3) This will follow the book at first, slowing diverging further overtime.**_

 _ **~thank you**_

At Java Jones Eric was already busy destroying the ears and minds of those who picked the wrong day to come. His hair was dyed hot pink. Matt was playing the drums behind him, not that it was on beat or coherent.

Clary sighed heavily and predicted, "This is gonna suck so hard." She jokingly grabbed Simon's sleeve and pulled him towards the door. "Come on. If we leave now he won't know we were ever here."

"No", Simon shook his head, "I am nothing if not a man of his word." He said with confidence. He turned his concerned eyes away from Eric and at Clary. "Find a seat and I'll get some coffee. What do you want?"

"Black-like my soul." Clary gave an evil grin.

"Yes, My Edge Queen." Simon said as he headed off towards the coffee bar muttering about emos. Clary went off to find any available seats.

Most of the Coffee house was covered with bored Teenagers. There was a faint weed smell covering the area. Although the coffee just managed to make it tolerable. After a quick search, Clary found a small couch in the very back. Only a couple of people were back there. A tall white haired kid was slumped in a chair. He looked depressed and his coffee had not been touched much. A golden blonde girl in an ugly orange tank top was sucked into here phone. A perfect spot Clary thought, Eric cannot ask about poetry criticism back here.

"Mother, I am sorry, but I have taken many souls…" Eric screamed from the stage. Clary wondered how one could relate 'going through girlfriends like candy' and 'taking souls'. As far as Clary knew, most girls were relieved when Eric left them alone.

The blonde girl leaned over the side of her chair and tapped Clary on the shoulder. "Excuse me." Clary looked up in surprise. "Sorry to bother you but, is that your boyfriend?" the girl asked.

"No," Clary said as she followed the blonde's point. She was talking about Simon. He was coming to them with Styrofoam cups. "Yeah, no. That's just my friend Simon."

She smiled. "He's Cute. Does he have a girlfriend?" The girl asked a bit too quickly for Clary's taste.

"Nah. Give him your number. I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Clary said. She was happy Simon was getting some attention. She often felt like he needed some girl notice.

"Thanks." She giggled. "Oh and hey do you do know this guy?" She gestured towards the white blond kid.

"Sorry I don't."

"He came in reciting bible verses and it freaked me out. Guess I'm real glad you came over here." Then she went back into her phone games.

Simon reappeared then. Sitting down the coffee then flung himself in the couch. "OW, I shouldn't have done that." He rubbed his neck. "I hate how hot those cups are, but that heat feels good on my neck."

Clary grinned. Thankfully, she could still smiled after fights with her mom. Thoughtfully Clary looked at Simon. Normally she did not think about whether or not Simon was attractive or not. He had pretty eyes and he definitely was not ugly. Although he needed at better haircut, maybe some hair gel and he could fake it.

With a sip of coffee he asked, "What did that girl want? The one in orange."

I should tell him, she thought. Although deep down Clary didn't want to share the time she did have with her best friend. The 'band' kept taking up more and more of his time and Clary couldn't help but feel the tingles of jealousy. Don't' be so selfish, he deserves this. Clary opened her mouth to tell him, but Eric hit the microphone.

"Sorry! Sorry about that dudes! I got one more poem for you; this one is called 'battle of the loins'." He screwed up his face as if he was going to sing this one, but thankfully, he didn't. Instead choosing to wail like dying whale. "Come hither my juggernaut, my nefarious loins! Slather every protuberance with arid zeal."

"Why?" Simon whisper screamed. "I don't know him."

Clary giggled in return. "'Loins' really add effect to the poem."

Simon glared at Clary. "He uses it in every poem."

"What kind of plebian uses the word 'protuberance'? I thought this was Eric's epic poem?" Clary joked.

Simon took a deep sigh. "Clary-"

"Turgid is my torment! Agony swells within!"

Clary considered videoing the performance before it was too late. "Anyway that girl-"

"I don't care anymore." He cut off Clary. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Simon, I think you would care if you wouldn't cut people off." She retorted.

"I don't care about some girl at the coffee shop. It's about what we were talking about before, about me not having a girlfriend." Clary nodded and crossed her arms.

"What?"

"The blonde girl likes you. I told her to give you her number." Clary said.

Simon ran his fingers through his hair. "Look, I'm not interested in her, okay?

"What? You complain and complain about being the 'Last guy without a girlfriend'. Someone is interested. She's right there." Clary made a not so subtle gesture towards her.

"I like someone else." Simon muttered. He turned a bit green.

"That's fine Simon. Make a move, or wait, or explore some other options." Clary understood his angst, but really wished he would get over himself. A small laugh came from behind the couch.

The guy in front of her stood up straight. Clary turned around.

Sitting a few feet behind, on an almost garbage couch, sat Jace. He wore the same black leather athletic gear he wore the night. He was twiddling a large bone knife in his hand. Twisting it and gently pushing it into his jeans. Jace was looking right at them. Smiling. Laughing.

"Clary-" Simon started then looked at me. "What is it?" Jace stood up. Tiled his head with that same smile and then started to leave. Clary stood up immediately. "Clary?" She rushed to the door. Simon sighed. "Here we go again."

Clary wasn't sure what to say to Jace once outside. Jace started "Your friend is quite funny."

"Leave Simon alone. What do you even want from me?" Clary glared at Jace. Hoping he would take a hint.

He didn't. "Well I was referring to the one on stage but Simon was funny too."

"Why are you stalking me?" Clary said with more power. Gaining confidence with her anger.

"Meow." He fake clawed at me.

"Kay-Kay. Stay away from me and my friends." Clary turned to leave. Although she was slow just in case Jace decided to answer her.

"Little girl! Come back here! I need you."

"Why?"

Reaching out with his left hand. "Can I see your hand?"

"For what?" Clary crossed her arms.

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Hodge must be insane. You're the Queen of the Mundanes." Jace snatched Clary's right hand. Looking it over. "Hmm. You're not left handed, are you?"

Clary jerked her hand back. "No."

"Look little girl." Before Clary could protest, He shoved his left hand in her face.

"And?"

"Patience darling. It'll come to you." Clary rolled her eyes. Jace glared at her with bored golden eyes. "It should appear as an eye. It is a voyance rune. All Shadowhunter children it get." Like a sign lighting up, a black eye appeared on his hand. Clary took a sharp breath. "See! Clearly you don't have one but still"

A kid bumped into Clary. A hot coffee soaked into her shirt. A slight burn creeped over her chest. Clary took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry." Clary looked up and the white-blond from inside. Looking into his black eyes Clary could see he was terribly concerned. "I'm sorry." He lightly picked at her shirt to see his damage.

"Look its fine. It really is." Clary gently pushed him away from her.

"No. I feel bad-"

"She said she's fine." Jace all but yelled. The other man looked up at him. Jace paled. The man titled his head at him in response.

"Jace! Just go away!" Clary screamed. A cold feeling spread down Clary's back. She quickly recognized a hand against her back. Clary turned her head back to the black-eyed boy. Who seemed shocked at Clary's outburst. He moved his hand back to himself.

"I'm sorry about that." Clary began walking away with him. "Anyway, I'm Clary." She said as she reached out to shake hands with a small smile.

"Jonathon" he paused and looked back "And just so you know Your friend is following us." Looking back Clary didn't see anything.

She sighed. "I'm not surprised." Clary's phone began to ring it was her mom. "Hey I loved love to hang out sometime, but I have to take this." Jonathon smiled sadly.

"Clary!" Jocelyn's heavy voice came though. "I need you to go to Luke's. Or Simon's. Just don't come home." A heavy pound hit what sounded like the door.

"Mom what's going on?" Clary's heart began racing. The cooling coffee suddenly felt hot again. "Mom?!" Clary screamed.

"Go to Luke's House. Tell him he's found me-!" Jocelyn screamed, as the door was hot again.

"Mom! Mom! Who has found you? Did you call the police? Is Dorothea there?" A sharp slithering noise came after another pound.

"I love you Clary." The found went silent.

"Mom!" Clary dialed the number again.

The number you are attempting to reach has been disconnected

Despite shaking, Clary began to run home. She tried to dial Luke during her sprint, but it rang four times only to get to voicemail.


	2. Attack

Clary only got hotter and hotter as she ran. Ice cold sweats just barely keeping her focusing as everything ran through her head. She called Luke everything she got trapped at a cross walk sign.

Finally arriving at the apartment Clary ran as fast as she could. A car honked as she ran across the street. Lights were on on the upper floor. A calming sign that everything was actually okay. A small wave of hope ran over Clary before the intense fear came back.

In the entry way the lights were out. The front door of my apartment was open, it was the only light. Clary stopped to catch her breath.

That was when Dorothea began yelling about the lights. "Where is your mothers boyfriend? He's been slacking lately."

"Dorothea please! Is my Mom okay?" Clary never took her eyes off of her front door.

"I don't know. She's been awfully loud up there." Dorothea fully came out her door now. She stood dramatically in the hall. "What's his face really needs to come here."

"I've tried to call Luke multiple times. But I don't have time for this." Clary slowly walked up stairs.

The door easily opened. The hinges had been damage from the banging Clary heard earlier. Clary didn't notice but the outside of the door had horrible deep scratches. Inside a tornado has rampaged. Furniture toppled over and cut into. The couch's cushions had been throw all the way across the room. All the her Mother's painting had been shredded into strips. Hands couldn't do that, only a knife.

The TV, DVD player, and laptops were all still there, right in there place. The TV had a massive crack in it. But otherwise the stuff robbers would come for was fine. Clary didn't understand. Several holes in the wall meant there was a fight. The blood next to it just made Clary's stomach drop even lower.

"Mom! Mommy! Where are you?" Clary screamed. It had been years since 'mommy' had been used in the house. Wandering into the kitchen Clary noticed it hadn't been touched much. Several plates had been smashed but things were where they were supposed to be. Clary feel to the ground in tears. She landed in a black sludge. "Ew." It was thick and slimy like slime children play with.

Before Clary could let herself to tears something came into the kitchen. It was like a small alligator with a dozen legs. The monster was covered in thick hard scales and sharp teeth. The animal swung its tail back and forth like a happy dog. As soon as it saw Clary it growled.

In a second she was up. Clary almost slipped but balanced on the counter. The monster opened its mouth in a twisted grin. Rows of teeth waiting to eat. Clary's heart felt like it would burst in fear. The monster growled again and swung its tail faster. Clary reached for her phone. She reached for the wrong pocket and found a thin glass pencil like thing.

When Clary made the jump to run the creature launched itself at her spot. Clary tripped on a pile of torn canvases. The monster just barely got her on the neck. "Please. Please." She whispered to herself. Clary's head pounded and her knees throbbed. Working up her strength she ran to the door, but it didn't matter. The monster hurled itself onto Clary. It's hot acidic breath burning her face. "Feed. Valentine said nothing about a girl. He will not mind." Deep inside its mouth a rope like you've flicked.

The attack ripped open several cuts on both her arms. Clary used her knees in attempt to push it off of her. She just barely managed to gain control of her right arm. Mustering all her strength, she stabbed the monster with the glass pencil. A horrible piercing scream rang as it fell off of her. Clary fell to the ground and watched it twitch with the glass pencil deep in its eye. Her hand had more of the black slime of it.

Clary's eyes fell closed. She took some deep breaths.

Clary woke up outside. Jace was leaning over her. He gently slapped her a couple times. "Wake up or you'll die." Bright read and blue lights were flaring. Clary moaned and closed her eyes again.

"Leave me alone Jace."

"I know. I know. But I have to take you to the institute. Hodge can treat you there." Jace picked her up bridal style.

"I'm not going anywhere." Clary made a small attempt at struggling but the energy wasn't there.

"See those demons over there?" Jace pointed towards the cops heading into the apartment. "They'll kill you if the poison doesn't. We have to go."

"But mom-" Clary whined. Jace ignored her. Instead pulling out another glass pencil.

"This is gonna sting a little bit we have to disguise you." He began to draw on Clary. A black mark stuck on her skin.

"Wha-?" Clary gave in and fell asleep again.


	3. The Institute

"Do you think she'll wake up?"

"Give her time. Demon poison is strong and she's runeless. It's going to take longer."

"Mundies die easily don't they?"

"We don't know if she is though"

Wake up! Wake up! Clary mentally screamed. Her mind couldn't focus or react to much. Her whole body felt like it had been encompassed in molasses. You have to call Luke. And find mom. And call Simon.

Of course she fell asleep again. Nightmares didn't stop. She saw visions of her mother being beaten. Of Simon dying. Even a few of Jace rising like an angel, only to be slaughtered a few moments later.

"It's the same girl from before."

"I know"

"I want to know where she got a stele."

"It's not just any stele. It's a family one. Look at those markings on the sides. Her mom probably just kept everything from her."

After a sigh. "Whatever. Let's go."

A day later Clary finally regained function. Her eyelids were heavy but she managed to open the man and blink a few times. A thin veil surrounded her small bed. The wall were a baby blue color. Clary blinked a couple times and realized that there were clouds on the ceiling. Clary laid in bed for a few minutes before trying to sit up. "AH!" It felt like a nail pierced her neck. Clary laid back down. This time rolling on her side and rubbing her neck.

Clary sighed then tried again. Her arms and legs were sore. Her head pounded. Clary tried to touch her toes. Her back and legs loosened a bit. She reached towards the curtain and pushed it aside.

There were four other empty beds in the institute hospital. A plant in every corner.

A night stand next to each bed. Clary sat up on the side of the bed. On hers the was the glass pencil, they called a stele, and a cup full of a golden liquid. Her phone sat close by.

Upon closing inspection Clary found the markings the She vaguely remember the others talking about. On the end of the stele there was a small star and along the side was carved "If I Cannot Move Heaven, I will Move Hell".

Clary thought to put it in her pocket, but realized she was in a white knee length gown. She reached and smelled the liquid. "What am I doing?" Clary scrunched her nose and sighed. Even if it was poisoned she had no way of knowing. It smelled like nectar. It probably wasn't poisoned. It didn't make any sense for it to be. Clary decided she might as well and drank the the nectar.

A wave of euphoria ran through Clary. All the way through her fingers. She stood up and stretched her back. Clary tried to drink some more but realized she had gulped it all.

Clary looked around again and saw on the back of the door there were clothes. They were nice but way too big for her. They were the type of clothes Clary wished she could pull off.

Nonetheless Clary put them on. The red shirt fit like a dress. It fell way past where it was supposed to be With the neckline falling past her breast. Clary squinted her eyes. It reminded her of all of the band meetings she had been forced to sit through. Every rude comment at her lack of "a rack" from Eric flashed through her head.

Clary instead decided to take off the top and put back on the hospital gown with the pants underneath. The black pants were stretchy and fit a bit better. Although they were still loose. Clary put her phone and new stele in the pockets.

Without warning the door opened.

"Oh I see your finally awake!" Isabelle smiled at Clary. She didn't have on her long silk dress. Instead a more causal t-shirt and jeans. Although she pulled this off just as well. She still had the red pedant on.

Clary looked up and gave a weak smile back. "What happened to my clothes?"

"Jace burnt those a few days ago. They were covered in demon blood." Isabelle said nonchalantly as if this was the main reason for pitching old clothes. She looked Clary over multiple times. "Its a shame my clothes don't fit you. But at least you've made it work somehow. Really pulling off that gown."

Clary glared but did say anything. "How long have I been at the institute?"

Isabelle's eyes narrowed. "Jace told you about this place?"

"He mentioned it just in passing. It's not like he told me much." Clary held her arm defensively. "I have no clue what a stele is supposed to do. I don't know who Hodge is or why I need to see him."

Isabelle sighed dramatically. "A stele is to make runes with." She grabbed the door handle hand and gestured for Clary to follow. "Let's just go to Hodge."

Outside the sickroom Clary could faintly hear someone playing the piano. There were dozens of small rooms. Throughout the hall. "I thought this was a research institute?"

Isabelle slowed her pace. "It is. Most of that is the empty residential wing". Isabelle decided she didn't like the silence. And continued "People aren't here for long. It's just My parents, Alex, Max, Jace, Hodge, and I."

The piano grew louder as we went deeper in the Institute. The building looked more like a church than a research hub. Grand dome ceiling and murals of glass towers. Every other doorway was an arch. It was me the type Clary dreamed of in her fantasies.

"Mom, Dad, and Max are in Irdis, the shadowhunter home." Isabelle pointed over to a painting on the wall. "There's a painting of it over there, if you wanna a peak at it."

We arrived at an arched-shaped set of doors. A cobalt blue Persian cat with yellow. "Hello Church." Isabelle bent down to pet it. It meowed in appreciation. She made a tiny meow back at it hoping Clary wouldn't hear. Clary restrained a giggle. "This is the library".

The library was circular, with a Ceiling that came to a point. Shelves upon shelves of books covered the walls. More books than Clary had ever seen. So many that they touched the ceiling. Some were leather, some where scrolls, and some were simple modern books. They all seemed old and well read. A strange feeling washed over Clary. Being surrounded by generations worth of knowledge excited something deep inside her. Clary has never been a heavy reader but she wanted to read ever book in here. All of her questions could be answered in no time.

The floor was polished wood. It was so shiny it seemed like a thin layer of glass laid over it. In parts of the floor there were glass symbols. They followed a pattern that Clary couldn't quite pick up.

In the center sat a magnificent desk. It appeared to be carved of one piece of dark wood. The legs of the desk were statutes of Angels the screamed with silent pain. Wings stretched out as they tried in Vain to fly away. Next to it a giant Raven sat perched next the desk. In the center sat a frail, gray man with a beaky nose. He looked at Clary and spoke with a voice deeper than expected. "I wish I could get the children here to be that excited over books".

"Hello. I am Clary Fray."

Hodge walked over. And her hand to shake. "I am Hodge Starkweather. I am honored to be in the presence of someone who could kill a Ravener with her bare hands."

Clary turned her head down. She assumed he was talking about the monster in her apartment. What could she say to him? She didn't even really remember much of the night. Isabelle saved her. "She really didn't. Jace says she stabbed it in the eye with a stele."

"Oh?" Hodge sat down on the edge of his desk. "What have you that idea? Most Shadowhunters are too proud to do such an thing."

Clary has not answer. It was gut reaction. Before Clary to explain herself a sharp angry laugh rang through the library. One of the chairs spinned around to reveal Alec curled into it. "You don't believe this do you?"

Clary glared at him. Alec was just a more angry less confident. Isabelle. They had the same ink hair and pale skin. Drawings come to life. Except We're Isabelle was calm and proud. Alec was hostile and hiding.

The older man looked to turned his head. His eyes full of patience he would soon need. "Explain Alec. I don't follow your logic."

"A child could not kill a Ravener. Especially with a stolen Stele! She's a mundane!" He got louder with each sentence.

Clary snapped. "A child? I'm sixteen. And for the record, I didn't steal anything. I'm it sure where the stele came from but I definitely didn't steal anything."

"I'm sure." He spit.

Hodge adjusted his glasses. "Isabelle is sixteen. Is she a child?" Hodge asked Alec.

"Isabelle is a Lightwood! From one of the longest and best running Shadowhunter families! A random kid is not going to compare to her." Alec just barely managed to compose himself. Although his book was now on the floor.

Isabelle stood silent, unsure of what to do. The parts clary did understand she understood to be true, but that didn't stop the rage that was building towards Alec. He managed to be just as bad as Jace in few seconds.

Hodge sighed. "Can I see this stele?" Clary hesitated to pull out the stele. She shook it off.

"Here." He took it and studied it.

Isabelle finally spoke up. "Alec it's possible the Ravener might have made a wrong move and got itself killed." Clary's was shocked Isabelle would stand up for her.

"Really Issy? Are really think that thing committed suicide?"

"It's more than possible"

Alec's face got uglier with anger. "Either way. She's a mundane. She shouldn't be here."

"No Alec. This stele has symbols I recognize. It's not a Lightwood stele. It couldn't be stolen." He handed it back to Clary. Then got up to walked closer to Alec. "And the law does permit Mundanes to be here in the event of an emergency. Her mother was attacked by a monster from our world."

Clary wanted to lie on the floor. Her mother was more than likely dead.

"Those things are mindless drones. Why would someone send it to a Mundie household?" Alec sat up straight and he glared at Clary as if she caused the attack.

Clary came back to life with that comment. "It doesn't matter! It attacked me and my mother Regardless of intention it happened." Clary almost screamed.

Hodge put a hand up. "No, Alec has a point." Alec raised his head like a brat who just got mama's favor. "Those demons always have a target. They make no mistakes." He turned to Clary. "Is your mother on the bad side of any warlocks?"

"She doesn't believe in magic!" Clary thought through every person her mother knew that she knew of. Suddenly Madame Dorothea popped in her head. "A witch lives downstairs."

"She a fake; just like the rest of them." Everyone turned around to face Jace who decided his presence was necessary. "I already looked into her. Warlocks are born. Magic is not a learned skill, Clary"

"Run out of music pieces?" Isabelle smirked.

"No of course not." Jace turned back to Hodge. "As much as I enjoy Alec's salt fest, he's wrong." Hodge looked interested in Jaces argument.

"I don't need to you stand up for me Jace." Clary said firmly.

"You really do though." Walking towards the center. "Clary is a Shadowhunter. I marked her to hide her before we arrived."

The whole room burst out in screams at Jace. Clary closed her eyes trying to prevent a headache. Hodge stood out. "You could have turned her into a forsaken! And then what?"

"But in didn't. She has Clave blood somewhere in her." Jace defended.

Clary opened her eyes. And took a deep breath. "Our friend Luke would know. Can I call him?"

"Go ahead" Hodge said with sympathy. He then turned to Jace. "Come here" he said with pure anger.

Clary pulled out her phone and dialed the number with lightning speed. Ring one came and went. Please. Ring two came and went. Please. Ring three came and-"Hello?"

"Luke! It's me Clary!" She tried to control her volume but was sure she screamed it.

"Clary." Relief filled his voice. "You okay?"

"Kind of. I tried to call you but you never answered. Mom-"

"I know. The police say she's missing." A flash of the Ravener approaching was all it took to send Clary back into the fear of her mother never returning.

"Are you the books shop? I could take a cab home."

"No." Luke's voice harsh. "Stay where you are."

"Why?" Silence on the the other end. "Luke? Luke?" He had hung up. Clary's vision went blurry. Do not cry. These people will eat you alive for that.

Jace was sent out of the room just as Clary gathered herself. "Isabelle, Alec! Get out. I wish to speak personally to Clary." Grumbling they left. Hodge looked sadly at Clary. "You've never seen anything similar to that Ravener before?"

"No." Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine most cry out of frustration. Which is understandable." He walked back to his chair behind the desk. "Never, huh? Most Mundanes would have seen a wild dog or something similar."

"Dogs don't talk."

"What did it say to you?"

"Simple things about eating and feeding. Something about a guy named Valentine." Hodges eyes lit up.

"Valentine! Oh dear." Hodge said with in a monotone voice. Though his eyes were full of fear. Clary grew just as concerned.

"What?"

"Valentine was a Shadowhunter. A dead one. A story for another time." He pulled out a piece of paper and began writing furiously.

Clary wasn't sure what to do now. "May I leave to get my clothes?"

"If Jace agrees." Hodge didn't even look up. "Church will take you." Clary's sighed but knew Alec or Isabelle wouldn't agree.


	4. Chapter 4

Clary and Jace road in silence most of the way to the apartment. Clary thought over Luke's words and debated when to call Simon. He was more than likely worried. At least someone was.

About half way through the ride, Clary noticed giggling and looked up to see two girls. They were the types Clary tried to ignore but never truly could. She at first thought they were laughing at her ugly white hospital gown. Clary then realized they were giggling at Jace. He did not seem to mind. His eyes gave away that he liked it.

Clary let her eyes wonder all over the train. The normal people, sitting sucked into their phones, occasionally looking up to see where they were in the route. One person caught her eye. Clary had to think about it for a moment but realized that it was Jonathon, from Java Jones.

The seat next to him was empty. Clary debated it for a moment. She knew Jace was staring at her. Watching. She moved to sit next to him. Clary felt bad for ditching him the other day. Moreover, she needed away from Jace's hawk eyes. "Excuse me. Jonathon?"

He did not notice her at first but turned. His eyes widened. "Clary?"

She smiled. "Hello." He was just as attractive as Jace but not infuriating. There was a moment of silence that Clary filled. "I'm sorry for ditching you the other day. I'm having a bad week."

"I can see by the hospital gown." He gestured.

"Yeah..."

Jace could not help himself and came over to their seats. He scowled at Jonathon. "Clary, all that's happened, and you want to talk to strangers? Plus our stop is next."

Jonathon glared right back at Jace. "Get a life." Without moving his eyes he handed his phone to Clary. "Here put your number. We'll talk later, if you want." Clary quickly typed her number.

"Get a life? I am a fascinating and complex individual." Jace practically sang. "Clary come on."

"Thanks. We'll talk later."

Arriving at the apartment Clary realized all the dust had settled. Everything looked normal and right. Just as it did a week ago. Still, Clary relived the fear she had the day Ravener visited. Her stomached dropped, but now she knew how it would end. "You have a key?" Jace asked. He was wondering around with a phone-like device.

"Oh course. What's that thing?" She pointed.

A censor. It picked up demonic activity." He looked up at the house. "There's nothing but leftovers here. Let's go."

The hall light was lit and bright. Clary wondered whom Dorothea annoyed into doing it. She walked up and paused at the door. After a deep breath, the door opened. Nothing had changed. The blood just got drier. Clary just stood there.

Jace moved into front of her. "I'm going to look for evidence of Shadowhunter ancestors." He immediately went for the bedrooms. Clary walked back to her room.

All the artwork was shredded as well. Even the sketches. Clary felt hollow. Like she vomited her organs outside and still wondered in here. She found the panda backpack she used to use when sleeping at Luke's. Not that that would happen again. He did not want her. Clary found the only notebook that had not been shredded and put it in the bag. Clary shut the bedroom door. She took off the now filthy dress and falling down pants. Clary opened the closet to find half of her clothes were missing. "Why?" Clary moaned.

"What?" Jace yelled from the other room.

"Half my clothes were stolen!"

"Interesting. Half your mother's clothes are missing too."

Clary found a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater. She shoved what she could into the panda bag. All the electronics are here. Why our clothes? She thought as she went to her mother's room.

Jace had the closet and all the drawers open. "Haven't found much." He said as he causally dug through Jocelyn's nightstand. Clary looked around, looking for anything, she wanted. The small J.C box crossed her mind.

"Move." She pushed Jace aside. He just swung his hips back at her. It knocked her towards the bed a bit. Clary lifted the bed lace but didn't find anything. She laid on the floor and swung her hand under the bed wildly, looking for anything. The box was missing too. Clary sat down on her knees. "Was Luke here?"

"How should I know?" He paused. "Your mom is very cunning." He added as a side note.

"I'm going to visit Dorothea. I want to know if she's seen anything." Clara stood up and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"The hag can't can't even walk right." He was right but Clary needed answers from someone who was not going to condescendingly scream at her.

She walked down stair and knocked. Jace following at her heels. "Dorothea?"

The door burst open. "It's about time." She then smiled. "Come on in children."


	5. Chapter 5

"Have you been expecting us? Quite the skill for a fake." Jace spat at her. Dorothea opened her door wide. A wave of smoke came out.

"Clary you keep such nice company! I cannot believe you are keeping Jace Wayland around." The apartment was very similar to Clary's although, Dorothea had her's separates into chucks with star constellation curtains separating each room.

"To be fair, until now I was just carrying around a guy named Jace."

"You mother must not have taught you." She hacked a laugh at her own joke. "Please sit." She sat them in a curtained room with a table at its center. Cards, crystals, and other witch tools were placed in precise places. "Would you like some tea?"

"Yes please." Clary said realizing how hungry she was.

"As long as it's not Earl Gray. I hate Bergamot." He scrunched his nose. Clary tilted her head at him. "What?"

Clary shook her head. "I don't know many people who know what Bergamot is."

"Shadowhunter training isn't all stabbing techniques. We must learn the uses for most plants."

"How would you survive without it?"

"Exactly." Jace earnestly agreed. Dorothea came back with tea cups and cucumber sandwiches. Clary grabbed one and sunk her teeth into it. She moaned at how good they were. The sandwich was gone in no time.

Dorothea stared at Jace for a few moments. "You can call me a fake all you want. I am not a warlock, but my mother was."

Jace choked on his tea. "Impossible."

"Oh so?" Clary asked. She took a slip of her tea. It was bitter and strong. It was a nice contrast to the cucumber sandwich.

Jace sighed at Clary's ignorance. "They're demon-human hybrids. Completely Sterile." Clary nodded. "All downworlders are some part demon but, Vampires and Werewolves are the result of diseases. Warlocks are direct descendants."

"What about the Fae?" Clary asked.

"Angels- cast from the sky for Vanity and Pride." Dorothea burst in. "Falling with the Morning Star." She shuffled her cards. "Your mother would know quite a bit about that."

"Or so they say. The legend of them being the children of angels and demons always made more sense to me." Jace said, finishing his tea.

Dorothea put down her cards and snatched Jace's cup. "She adopted me so I could watch and guard her things." She frowned at the cup.

"What's wrong with it?" Clary asked.

"Reading my leaves." Jace tolled his eyes.

"Roll your eyes as you please. But you have betrayal and pain in your future. A lot of blood." Dorothea put it down and reached for Clary's cup. Clary sat up straight.

Dorothea bit her lip. "I don't understand. It's a jumbled mess. Are you being blocked?" She titled her head and asked.

"By what?"

"A spell, more than likely."

"The Silent Brothers will tell us soon" Jace interrupted.

Dorothea grabbed her cards again. She spread them out in a line. "Let's try this. Pick on that feels hot or cold." Dorothea's ghostly-business voice kicked in.

Clary always thought tarot was interesting, but not interesting enough to pursue. Clary closed her eyes and ran her hand just barely above the cards. Nothing stood out. She ran her hand back and picked one towards the center. It felt heavy in her hand. Clary turned it over to reveal the Ace of Cups. The cup had real paint on it. Clary remembered her mother made them as a gift to Dorothea. The cup was silver with water streams flowing out of it. Rubies studded it. Lilly pads and flowers surrounded the base of the cup. It the faint background a small star rained down.

Dorothea smiled. "What does it mean?" Clary asked.

"Oh nothing on its own. The Ace of Cups means a lot of things. Love, birth, emotions, the element of water in general really." She gathered the cards and handed them to Clary. "Shuffle these and draw the top card."

"This is not what we came here to do."

Clary sighed. "He's right." She said as she shuffled them. They were larger than she was used to. She was reminded of game nights with Jocelyn, Luke, and Simon. "I wanted to ask you if someone has visited my home. Some stuff is missing and I noticed the hall light has been changed.

"You mama's boyfriend was here for a few minutes." Clary sighed. She didn't want to think about Luke. "Draw a card." Clary hesitated but drew. "The Queen of Swords. Independence and wisdom." She looked Clary in the eye. "You've got an emotional journey coming, but you'll be better by the end."

Jace sighed. "You got that from cards, but can't tell us if Jocelyn Fray was a Shadowhunter."

"You never asked child." Dorothea gathered the cards and sat them in their place on the table. "I knew about Jocelyn's past as a Clave member. We never talked about it. She knew about me and I knew about her. The only time it came up was if she wanted information."

Jace leaned forward. His eyes narrowed. "What kind of information?"

Dorothea leaned back and crossed her arms. "She asked for me to keep an eye, I suppose ear, out for the name Valentine in underground gossip." Clary's heart sank. There was no denying it anymore. Her mother was a Shadowhunter.

"Really?" Jace stood up. "That's why she was here. This place is warded to hell and back." Clary was numb. She couldn't fell anything except her feet, which felt sown to the ground.

"Of course. I don't see how this violates any Clave law though."

The train ride back was silent. Although Jace felt the need to get back at Clary for "ditching" him before. So he made out with some girl the whole ride. Clary just stared at her phone. Unwilling to even look at Jace. She didn't call Simon though.

Not yet.

Once at the institute Jace relied on Church to take him places. Clary followed, unsure of what to do. They wound up in the kitchen. It wasn't very large. Isabelle stood by the stove. She was putting seemingly random things into a pot and stirring it. She chopped a chuck of onion and dropped it in.

"Get everything you needed?" Isabelle asked. "Nice panda bag she added." She smirked then went back to soup.

"I wanted Alec. You traitor." He was glaring at Church.

"Leave him alone." She tossed the cat a fish slice.

"No wonder he likes you." Jace muttered.

"Would either of you like some soup?" Isabelle offered.

"No one wants your goddamn soup. No one ever has." Jace said sourly.

Isabelle glared. "If your going to be a complete ass, just go away."

"No. Clary and I found some things out."

"I'd like some soup." Clary spoke up. Isabelle smiled and made a 'hmpt' sound at Jace as she brought the bowl over.

"I'll be back. Have fun being poisoned." Walked off with Church.

Isabelle sighed. "It's not Get but it's something." She sat down next to Clary. "Did something happen while you were out?"

Clary took a sip of the stew. It was bland but edible. "No." She drew out. "I met an acquaintance and talked to my neighbor. I am a Shadowhunter." Isabelle drummed her long pretty nails on the table. Clary wished she could do that. She had artist nails. Short and dirty.

"Jace tends to get...obsessive. He likes you." She stopped drumming and looked Clary right in the eye. "Be careful."

Clary took another spoonful of soup. She wasn't sure how to take that. "How do?" She said slowly.

"He gets...He seems to think..that people are going to leave him. Then he gets angry. Keep a distance if you can."

Clary digested the information with her soup. "I thought he was like your brother?"

"He is. I just think you should know."

Clary's phone rang. It was Simon.

 ** _Notes: so i actually practice tarot, and claiming the Ace of Cups is the love card is like saying City of Ashes is about incest. It's kinda true but really misleading._**


	6. tryinghardtoripoutexpositionfailinghard

"Clary?" Simon asked.

She put down her spoon. "Simon! I'm sorry I didn't call earlier, I've been busy."

"Oh really? I've been worried as hell. Luke told me you and Jocelyn went to visit family. But he's being weird so I didn't trust that."

Isabelle was staring. "How's he being weird?" Clary asked.

"Where are you?"

Clary looked to Isabelle. "What can I tell him?"

"Whatever. Your not bound to any oaths of secrecy." Isabelle got up to put away dishes.

"Clary?"

"I'm at an institute on the other side of town." Clary proceed to fill Simon in on the past four days.

A half hour later Simon was done with questions. It was Clary's turn. "What's going on with Luke?"

"Well I stuck in his house."

"Oh really? He didn't see you." Clary faintly smiled.

"No. He had guest." Clary looked to Isabelle, ready to repeat anything back to her. "Some dudes in cloaks named Pangborn and Blackwell came in. They talked about you, your mom, some dude named Valentine-" Clary almost dropped her phone. Isabelle looked his vague concern. "-something called 'the circle'. Luke had a bunch of weapons. He kinda disowned you guys. They kept calling him Lucian Graymark. It was really weird. They wanted some cup."

"Thanks Simon. I'm sorry but I have to go now. I'll fill you in later on who Valentine is." She hung up.

"So what's going on?" Isabelle asked.

"I need to see Hodge."

"Your friend get attacked?" Isabelle stood up and tucked her chair in.

"No. But he found out some stuff. The Circle and Valentine. I'm sure Hodge can fill In the blanks." Clary stood up. Waiting. For Isabelle to lead her.

"A lot of confidence in someone you barely know." Isabelle muttered.

The arrived at a giant greenhouse. As soon as they walked in the smell of wet of dirt hit Clary. It was larger than Clary would have expected. It was a huge glass enclosure that was about ninth degrees. There were a hand full of trees but most of the garden was lines of different plants. All different shades of green, with wild leaves and branches. Some even had berries. An overhead pile system watered the plants. Although it made the place extremely humid. Jace stood next to Hodge who was on a bench. His black bird sat on his shoulder.

"Jace has told me that your mother was watching for Valentine before her disappearance."

Clary nodded. Isabelle walked over to a berry plant and began to graze. "Yes. My friend overheard some new information." This caught both of there attentions. "My Un- mom's friend Luke had some guest named Pangborn and Blackwell." Hodge paled. "They talked about some Cup and Valentine and some circle. They called Luke, Lucian Graymark. I was wondering if this meant anything to you?"

Hodge picked up his large brown book and began rummaging through it. Pages fell out but he didn't care. "I hereby render unconditional obedience to the circle and its principals...I will be ready to risk my life at anytime for the circle, in order to preserve the purity of the bloodlines of Idris, and for the mortal world with whose safety we are charged."

Jace looked disgusted. "What is that?"

"The loyalty oath of the Circle of Raziel. An organization that supposedly died seventeen years ago." He looked suddenly tired.

"Sounds like a fascist organization." Clary said.

"The cult of Idris." Isabelle added.

"Yes." Hodge sat his book book. He looked like seventeen years just weighed on him. "They were a group, led by Valentine, dedicated to eradicating downworlders." Isabel walked over and Jace sat down. Clary was deadly still. "They planned to attack the downworlders at the Accords signing. The contract for peace between shadowhunters and downworlders. They must be signed every fifteen years to keep them binding." He added for Clary. "They wanted war."

"The uprising?" Jace chimes in. "I didn't know Valentine's followers had a name."

"It isn't spoken much nowadays. Although it's rising again." Hodge swallowed. "It's an embarrassment."

"Why do you have an oath copy?" Isabelle asked.

Hodge hesitated. Clary felt chills running up and down her spine. She didn't want the answers now. "I helped write it.

Isabelle and Jace looked shocked. "You were in the circle?" Isabelle asked.

"Yes. Many of us were. Your parents were." He looked Clary right on. "Clary's mother was as well."

Clary jerked back. "No she- she couldn't have been. My mother doesn't belong to any hate groups."

"The Circle wasn't a hate-" Hodge made a gesture to cut him out.

"She wouldn't have had a choice. Valentine was her husband."

"I thought Valentine never married. Jace said.

Clary almost screamed. "No! My mother had no exes!" Isabelle placed a hand on Clary's shoulder.

Hodge sighed. "Clary..." he looked so old yet supposedly he and Jocelyn were young at the same time.

"My mother wouldn't..." but then Clary realized she knew nothing. She didn't know her mom. She was a stranger just like Luke, or so Lucian. Clary knew a strange beautiful woman who said vague things about her past.

"Your mother left the circle. Once his more extreme views became know, many left. Lucian left first. A massive blow." He looked to Jace. "Michael Wayland left next." Jace raised a brow but said nothing. "Although many stayed. Pangborn, Blackwell, the Lightwoods-"

"What?" Isabelle yelled.

"It's true. I did too. We were afraid of leaving. What might happen to us." Hodge strokes his bird. "After the loyalist fled. The remaining, such as the Lightwoods and I, cooperated with the Clave and in turn received clemency."

"You're curse, the Clave did it?" Have asked.

"The law is hard but it is the law." Isabelle said.

"Yes, the Lightwoods got off easier though." He looked to Isabelle. "They had a baby and high status friends."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Clary demanded.

Hodge sighed. "I knew her as Jocelyn Fairchild. Not Fray. You were so ignorant I figured they couldn't be the same person." He looked sadly around. "When I sent to the Silent Brothers I didn't know what information I would have for them. But it seems Valentine is rising again."

Jace stood up. "Why does he need the Mortal Cup?" He tilted on his heels.

"To raise an army." Hodge said like it was obvious. "Kidnap hundreds of humans and make a army of a few dozen."

"It's kinda romantic" Isabelle interrupted. Clary scowled at her. "He rises from the dead and immediately goes for his wife."

"He's killed dozens. Including his own parents-in-law." Hodge deadpaned.

"Raveners are so sexy." Jace said.

"May I leave to sleep?" Clary sighed.

"Take her to a room." Hodge vaguely gestured towards Isabelle.

Isabelle lead Clary back to the residence wing. Clary watched the floor the entire trip. Her father was a murder and a terrorist and so was her mother. "Pick any room." She lingered for a bit then walked off. The rooms were simple. A dresser, a nightstand, a bed, and small bathroom. Clary three her backpack down and collapsed on the bed. Everything was gray. Even though Clary knew that's because it was ten-thirty, she felt it was right.

She checked her phone. There was text from Simon asking about her address and a text from Jonathan. There were two. 'This is Jonathon' 'Are you okay?'

Clary opened her phone and typed 'I don't know'. She sighed and rolled to the side of the bed. Clary threw her pale green shoes across the room. They hit the door and fell with a sad plunk.

There was an immediate reply, 'I ran into your friend at the coffee shop. He felt the need to educate me on DnD' clary burst out laughing. She fell asleep laughing.

 _ **I'm unsure where i want to take this. I have a good ending in mind,**_

 _ **but I'm not sure how we're gonna get there**_

 _ **OH WELL**_


	7. Chapter 7

_"Pretentious quote but in Italian"_

 _-the Divine Comedy_

Clary slept in absolute silence. No dreams. No sounds. No ideas. For once in the last twenty four hours, nothing was going on. It was nice.

There was a slight shake. "Clary wake up." Clary instinctively shoved her hand up to snack the person who dared wake her up. She heard a satisfactory smack then rolled back over. "Clary please." Jace asked again.

Clary opened her eyes to see Jace. He was way too close to her face. "Why?"

"A Silent Brother is here."

"But why are you in my room?" Clary grunted.

"Its not your room. It's a random room in the institute." Clary buried herself more.

"But why you?"

Jace softy laughed. "Hodge offered but I thought you would want something nice to look at."

"Then why didn't you get Isabelle? She's way hotter."

Jace looked offended. "Get up. Go to the library." He stormed off.

Clary sighed, sat up, and stretched before falling back down. She managed to crawl herself out, but stayed on the floor for a bit. Clary dug through her bag, thinking how she should have put this away last night.

Clary tried very hard not to think about anything in particular. She didn't want the pain of her mother back so early.

The library was dark. No lights had been turned on. Instead dozens of candles sat everywhere. Hodge sat at his desk. Alec and Isabelle sat deadly still across the room. Jace stood near He entrance. "Finally."

Hodge looked up. "Clary." His voice was horse. "This is Brother Jeremiah."

Jeremiah turned his desk good towards her. This is The child of Jocelyn Fairchild? Clary gasp. The words rang in her head as if they were her own thoughts.

"Yes," Hodge said quickly. "But we believe her father was a mundane."

The blood of the Clave is dominant, said Jeremiah.

"Why would my mother steal The Cup? Then disappear?" Clary asked.

"Clary," Hodge interrupted. He collected himself. "She of all people knew what Valentine intended to do with it. She had to do what she could to stop him."

"I suppose." Clary imagined her mother fleeing under darkness with a giant golden cup. It didn't fit right with her. It felt like something was missing.

"Jocelyn was presumed dead. The Clave, and more importantly, Valentine, wouldn't have known she had it."

The entire bloodline is presumed dead, spoke up Jeremiah.

"Then you guys should really invest in dental records so you can figure out who's dead and not." Clary snapped.

"I need no records to know my father's dead" Jace said. Clary turned to him to apologize, even though she didn't want to.

That is enough, chimed in Brother Jeremiah. There is truth to be learned.

With a quick gesture he put his good down. Clary fought the urge to cry. His head was bald, smooth, and white, like an egg. Where there where once eyes, there was dark indents but not eyes. Lines that seemed Rune like ran over his lips.

The Brothers of the Silent City do not lie, said Jeremiah. If you want truth I shall give it to in return for Truth back.

"I'm not a liar-" Clary felt intense panic crawl over her skin.

The mind does not lie. I wish to see your memories.

"Clary," Hodge sighed. "It is more than possible you have repressed memories. Brother Jeremiah can reach them." He said gently.

Clary presses her eye lids. The thought of having someone rummaging through her eyes scared her. Who knew what was down there? Every private, hidden, forgotten thought.

"Just Leave her alone." Jace demanded.

"I'll do it." Clary opened her eyes. Jeremiah nodded. Then moved towards her with out moving his legs like he was floating. He moved his hands to her face. They were cold and thin. The black ink of runes covered both of them. The runes gave off the aura of forbidden power.

Clary lost feeling in her body. A weight so intense it felt like her soul was being dragged down to hell. However she felt cold. Clary swore her sweat was forming ice sickles on her skin. The pressure in her head only got worse.

Jeremiah released his hands. Clary fell. Isabelle ran over. "Are you okay?" Clary's was drenched in sweat. Her shirt completely soaked. Isabelle helped her up.

There is a block in your mind. Your memories cannot be reached. We will have to go to the Silent City to break the spell.

"A spell? Who would have done that?" Clary was shocked. Clary wanted to lie down but stood up straight.

"I'll go with her" Jace declared. Clary didn't have the energy to decline him.

Outside the institute was even worse for Clary. It was humid and gross. Brother Jeremiah disappeared. "Why is he leaving first?"

"Oh just wait." Jace smirked.

"I would have rather Hodge come." Clary crossed her arms.

"I need helping processing things. Not your 'protection'." Clary smacked herself. "I need to call Simon!" Maybe even text Jonathon too. Simon was probably getting antsy again.

"Why lover boy?" Jace glared.

"Could you at least pretend to respect him? His given us valuable information." Clary pointed out.

"Still. With everything going on you worry about some unsubtle weasel." Jace shook his head.

"I would like some humanity in my life!" Clary's yelled.

"We are humanity." Jace spoke.

"No you're insanity." Clary's said with more decisiveness than ever before. Jace frowned.

Jace stood in the street, trying to hail a cab. Clary hopes he would get hit. He was never going to get a cab in this neighborhood.

A second later a sleek black car pulled up. After a moment Clary said it as what it truly was. A gray Cinderella carriage. Brother Jeremiah sat in front, Holding the reins to two black horses. They snarled and stomped.

"Get in." Jace climbed in first. He grabbed Clary's arm and dragged her into the carriage. "A personal escort to the City of Bones is nothing to turn away."

"You could have given me a minute!" The carriage blasted off. Clary barely managed to sit. The carriage traveled impossibly fast. Clary watched in fascination as it phased through cars like wind. She knew Jace was laughing at her interest. "I can't believe no one notices."

"You can see through the glamor now. With time you'll see more that you never noticed." Jace said.

The carriage came to a sudden halt. They arrived at a graveyard. Clary has never seen this one before. She thought all graveyards had been destroyed in New York decades ago. Jace got out and Clary followed. There are many entrances to the City of Bones. All graveyards are pathways. Said Brother Jeremiah.

The graveyard was looked like it had been abandoned for quite some time. A statue of Henry Clay sat tall and proud. Although it was starting to fall apart. The hands and clothing tips were cracked and falling off. Clary stared at it until the statue changed to that of an angel. It's wings spread out into the sky, ready to fly off. At the base it said, "The Decent into Hell is Easy"

"What a cheery motto." Clary muttered.

"The Blackblood's motto is 'Die with honor or shame'." Jace said.

All mottos exist for a reason. Jeremiah spoke. The Clave's is simply a giving a warning.

Clary briefly wondered if the words, 'If I cannot raise hell, I will raise Hell' was also a family motto. It didn't seem to be something her mother lived by. The only thing Clary could think of was that she raised hell for Valentine. She briefly wondered what hell she was destined to raise.

Brother Jeremiah opened a stone vault. A horrible shriek sounded as the stone scraped stone. Jace didn't flinch. It was dark inside, just like the library. Torches lined the wall. Every ten feet there was a a glowing white column. It was carved with runes.

The ashes of fallen Shadowhunters are made into pillars to protect us. Jeremiah read Clary's mind.

"Is there no rest for the restless?" Clary's asked. The thought disturbed her.

"A Shadowhunter is born to fight." Jace said confidently.

"No one is born to do anything. You chose to do everything in life." Clary said back. Jace ignored her.

We must go down to the lower levels. Jeremiah announced. He led them down along thin stair case. Clary walked with her hands on both walls. She never hit a spider or crack. The walls were pristine and silent.

Brother Jeremiah continued to lead them into darkness. Until they arrived in a circular room. The walls had more torches here. Seven Silent Brothers sat a thrones. Clary could only barely make them out. Clarissa Fairchild. Brother Jeremiah introduced her.

Immediately Clary lost the ability to see. She could feel them digging through her head. Clary began seeing herself as a child. Playing in the bushes. A small punk faerie burst out and bit her in the arm. Clary swatted at it until it ran away. Then everything faded to black. Clary felt like she was fading away, until something snapped within her. Clary gasped as the name, MAGNUS BANE, appeared in her mind.

Clary opened her eyes and was surprised to find that she was still standing. Jace ran over to her regardless. "Magnus Bane?" Clary asked. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The name of the spell caster. We Connor break it. See the warlock. With that Clary knew they were dismissed.

Out in the Graveyard, Jace called Alec and then lead Clary to a restaurant. "Taki's?"

"I'm hungry and we have things to discuss." Jace said straightforwardly. "Magnus is the Highwarlock of The area." They walked into the restaurant. Clary was greeted to the sight of people eating raw meat, and beautiful things eating strange things. Jace sat them down a table.

Alec walked in soon after. He glared at Clary before sitting down. "How did it go?" Alec asked.

"Well, we know who did it."

A pretty blonde girl appeared by their booth. She seemed normal until Clary realized her eyes were pure blue, no pupil or white. She handed us all menus and left.

Clary looked at the menu. The first page was meats, the next delicate desserts, then blood types. "Human food is on the back." Jace turned over her menu. Clary found some nice looking pasta.

"Hey Jace do you remember-" Alec launched into a long story full of strange names and foreign places. Alec seemed so at ease. While Jace looked bored and distracted.

Isabelle walked in. She wore a short red dress and stripper boots. Clary tried not to stare. "So? What's going on?"

"We need to find Magnus Bane." Jace said, watching the waitress.

"SHH!" Alec hushed.

"What?"

"You really wanna go around broadcasting that?" Alec snapped.

"Bane? Bane? Why does that sound familiar?" Isabelle asked herself.

The waitress came back and smiled at Jace. "What can I get ya?"

"The normal."

"Same." Alec said.

"Ill take a honey flower smoothy."

Clay paused. "I'll take the spaghetti." Clary's was starting to realize how hungry she was.

"Their smoothies are divine!" Isabelle said. She dug through her purse looking for something. Isabelle pulled out a cream letter with a gold border.

"Oh the Angel." Alec said.

Isabelle walked him with the letter. "This is our key. I got it last week. I knew 'Magnus Bane' sounded familiar." She handed it to Jace. "It's not till 10 though."

 _Sorry for long wait times. Schools back again and I work now. On the bright side I know where this is going now. Just gotta get there first_


	8. Whoa an update (sizzyfluffbyaccident)

Back at the institute, Clary wandered around the library. She couldn't find anything she could actually read. Either it wasn't in English or was the 5th level of a course Clary had no base knowledge for. So she snuggled into a chair and took a quick nap.

She awoke to her phone ringing. "Hello?" Clary was a little annoyed but tried not let it show.

"Clary! Hello! What's going on? Simon asked.

Clary made a faint grunt and stretched. "Well nothing right now." Simon made an irritated noise. "We have to meet some Magic Man later. Some other magic dudes said that he put a "block" in my mind that prevents me seeing the "shadow world"." Clary felt very idiotic saying it out loud. Deep down Clary wanted it all to be fake, but she knew better.

Simon was quiet. "Are you coming home?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I don't know what's going on." Clary tucked herself closer together and in the chair. Her feet lost feeling and she lost a real sense of herself once again.

"Do have any clues? About your mother?"

Clary took a deep sigh. "The leader guy, Hodge, talked about a terrorist-demon lord named Valentine. Apparently Mom was involved."

"Demon Lord?"

"Demon Lord." Clary couldn't think of much else to say. "I'll call tomorrow, Okay?"

"Okay. Please stay safe." Simon begged.

"I'll try. Bye." With that Clary hung up and drifted back into peaceful sleep.

Isabelle tapped Clary on the shoulder. Clary glared as she opened her eyes. "Is it time to go?" She asked. Clary stretched her arms and stood up. Isabelle had on a short pale pink dress. The top and bottom were layered lace filled with glitter.

"Of course not! We have to get ready!" Isabelle grabbed her arm and began dragging her to her room. "We have to find something for you to wear and figure out your makeup." Clary just closed her eyes. It wasn't worth the fight.

Isabelle's room was a fabulous disaster, to put it the least. Clary intently studied the room like a swine stared at abstract art, she looked for patterns or meaning but couldn't find any. The walls were lavender at its base, but in spots there was golden runes and in others fur lined the edges. Her bed sat in the center and was a queen sized canopy with sheets slung all over it. Isabelle dragged Clary to a vanity in the corner. The mirror had fairy lights all around it and was covered with dozens of different types of makeup. "Where do we begin?" Isabelle asked herself. She examined Clary like a cat sizing its prey.

Clary pressed her lips together and immediately thought she looked derpier than normal. Isabelle decided to run a brush through her hair till it was as soft as she wanted it. Clary simply closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling. "How do you normally dress up?" Isabelle asked as she fluffed Clary's hair.

"I really don't..." She couldn't think of anything remotely close to Isabelle's best. "I guess a red or pink dress would work."

Isabelle sarcastically widened her eyes. "A fire goddess." She paused and the annoyance calmed. "That's kind of childish. We need more in line with sexy."

"I'm fifteen." Clary croaked. She wasn't really sure she was ready for that attention.

The beautiful woman leaned down next to Clary's ear and said, "You'll have three expert fighters surrounding you." Clary wildly blushed and shrunk into her chair. "Now!" Isabelle shot up and went to her closest. "I feel like Navy and Gray are your colors. They go well with orange." Clary watched from the mirror as Isabelle dramatically threw a bunch of items out of the closest before picking a couple she liked.

Clary swiveled the chair around and crossed her legs like a mock fashion critic. After all she had to wear it. Isabelle held both of them up. The first was a gray knee length. It didn't have sleeves but it came up and wrapped around the neck. The back laced up like a corset. The second one went past the knees but had a large slit up the side. It had sleeves but the whole upper part was lace. "I like the Gray one."

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Of course." Clary slipped on the dress. It felt a bit short for her but it was manageable. She beamed at herself. She twirled a bit and felt like a princess. The Princess could see Isabelle smiling too. "Now for makeup."

Clary liked the intense look on Isabelle's face as she carefully drew lines and brushed different products onto her face. Her lips twitched with focus and her eyes squinted and readjusted. Clary did as she was asked. "Okay how's this look?" Isabelle hadn't gone full out. Clary's lips were painted a dull red and her eyes had perfectly straight eyeliner. She had done some foundation and highlights but not too much. Clary looked and saw Jocelyn. It made her smile.

"Now, Weapons." Isabelle pulled knife sheaf. "Would you like a thigh strap for knives?"

Clary laughed. "Sure, why not?" She continued to giggle as Isabelle strapped it on her. This was the part of her wildest escapes that she could legitimately enjoy without a cost.


	9. Party Time!

_Love for the five of y'all who care ^-^_

Jace and Alec sat in the lobby looking like basic 'bad boys'. Alec less so than Jace, because Alec seemed uncomfortable with the outfit. Jace eyed Clary in a way that made her very uncomfortable. Clary crossed her arms and shifted her legs. Isabelle made a 'shoo' gesture towards him. "Are we ready?" She asked.

"I am." Alec detached himself from the wall.

Jace did the same and then felt the need to voice is meaningful opinion, "I think you went a bit over board, Isabelle." A confused look crossed Alec's face.

Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Jace you are real close to getting glitter thrown at you." Alec and Clary burst out laughing.

"I simply think you shouldn't have gone as far as you did."

Alec spoke, "It'd be weirder if she wasn't as dressed as Izzy."

Clary looked at Alec with surprise. "Thank you." Isabelle hooked her arm around Clary's and moved to the door. Alec followed. Jace hesitated but walked with them.

They ended up in a part of town Clary had never been. The streets were empty and only street lights lit the area. The winds made it a bit cold, but it was bearable. "Turn right up here." Isabelle said. They arrived at a small apartment.

"Nice." Jace and Alec fawned over to a set of motorcycles. "I heard some of them can fly." Alec said excitedly. Both of them paced around them with interest. Isabelle ignored them and walked to the door.

Isabelle rang the doorbell. The porch light caused the glitter in her hair to shine. "They act like they've never seen vampire bikes." She then raised her chin the perfect angle to seem confident but not haughty.

A tall thin man opened the door. He had make up that rivaled Isabelle's and wore tight fitting black clothes. "Oh, I don't remember inviting your kind." He sighed.

Isabelle's eyes widened and she smiled. "I have an invitation, Magnus Bane." She pulled it out and waved it.

He sighed again. "I must have been drunk. Come in." Isabelle and Clary walked after him. "Are you not bringing the others?" He asked.

"Oh, those are just our body guards for the walk." Isabelle said. Clary followed her, unsure of how she should act.

"What's the occasion for the party?" Clary asked.

Magnus lead them up a staircase. "Chairman Meow's birthday." He opened a door. "Don't kill any guest." Then disappeared into the room.

In the center of the room a band made up of weird creatures. The singer had skeleton legs and wings, the drummer had red skin, and the guitarist had lizard hands. Isabelle told her they were faeries. There was a bar in the corner serving even stranger things. People filled up the whole room. "Socialize for a bit before we confront Bane." Then Isabelle disappeared in the crowd before Clary could protest.

Not knowing what to do, she sat down at the bar. The man running the bar looked human, a bit husky, but normal. He chatted with what Clary had to assume was a vampire. He broke away from then just long enough to give the man next to Clary a drink. She could only see him out of the corner of her eye. Clary was staring out into the crowd, observing the ways these –nonhumans- behaved just like humans. The swayed together the same way, they flirted the same way, it amazed Clary. She tried to memorize the way a fish person held a vampire to draw later. "Thank you." The man next to her said, but it sounded familiar. Clary looked over to see a lean white blond man.

"Jonathon?" The man's head immediately shot up at clary, his eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open. Clary knew it had to be.

"Clary? What-Why are you here?" His voice was a bit shaken.

"I could ask you that." Clary shot back. "I thought you were a human." Clary felt a bit betrayed. Even a new found acquaintance wasn't a regular person.

"Look." He turned and threw down his shot. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you were a shadowhunter."

Clary sighed. "I suppose I didn't know until recently. I kinda wish I didn't know."

Jonathon continued, "Cheers to that. Frankly I was enjoying have normal human friends."

"Damn, I-" Clary stopped and thought. "Why do you want out? Weren't you raised as one?"

"Oh, fuck this shit." Jonathon said dramatically. Clary smiled. "Who the hell want to live under oppressive laws, only so that you can have the privilege of dying at 25 to some demons? But yeah get the fuck out now"

Clary shifted her legs. "I wish, my mother was involved and some shit came back to haunt her, it's a quality mess."

"A quality mess?" He smiled then Jonathon gestured to the bartender for more alcohol. He came over and pour him more.

"Can I have some?" Clary asked shyly. The bartender must of thought this was cute, because he did so without a question. She hesitated for a bit before deciding to just go for it. It left a foul taste so bad she pitched her face up.

Jonathon threw his head back and gave a delightful laugh. "Werewolf bars sadly don't serve tolerable fruity vodka." He crossed his legs to match hers. "So what do you normally do?"

Clary licked her teeth then replied, "I'm an artist. I draw, write, and stuff. What do you do?"

"Piano and read. I don't do much, in all honesty." He grimaced.

"Hey, at least if you play piano people like it and just fawn, art you get nothing but plebian praise and/or harsh critics." Clary offered.

"Oh I don't play in front of people." He looked around. "I don't like many people."

"Does anyone really?" Clary asked.

"Your right."

"MAGNUS BANE." A booming voice screamed. The room fell silent. It came from a short dyed blond man. The crowd backed away from him, creating a circle.

"May I help you?" Magnus leaned against the wall. A scowl crawled all over his face.

The little vampire was furious. "SOMEONE destroyed my bike!" His hands matched his voice.

Magnus gave a dramatic head roll and pulled himself off the wall. "And? Is there something you wanted me to do? Your bike is not my problem." The vampire screamed. "Then leave."

Jonathon leaned over to Clary. "Would you like to leave?"

"Sadly I have to meet with Magnus."

Jonathan turned his eyes not to the vampire but across the room to Jace's inspecting eyes. He pinched his lips together. "I'd like to continue to get to know you."

"Is there somewhere you need to be?" Clary asked.

"Yes. Father is very demanding." Jonathon said. Clary was a bit surprised. It didn't really occur to her that Jonathon had people to answer to.

"That's understandable."

"I suppose we'll find a time and a place."

"I'd like that." Clary watched as he walked out.

Just as he left, Magnus got fed up and told everyone to leave. That's when Isabelle and Jace reappeared. Jace put a hand on her mid back. Clary immediately flinched. The guest filed out the room with annoyance. Bane stood in the corner watching his eyes occasionally flicking his eyes to the others as he talked to Alec. When the finally creature left Magnus gestured for them to come over.


	10. Chapter 10

He led them into a small study. Bane sat down in a chair and sighed. "What does the Clave want?" He said getting straight to the point.

Jace looked concerned. "Have you done something wrong? No banter?"

"Get out."

Isabelle took the lead. "The Silent Brothers have informed us that you have put a blocking spelling on Clary Fray" She gestured towards Clary. "We need you to remove that and some explanation." Isabelle crossed her arms.

"You people are always so demanding." Magus shifted himself. "But yes, I did do that. Your mother made it very clear that you wouldn't be a part of the shadow world. So much so that she paid me to make sure you couldn't." He stood up and picked a green book out of a shelf.

"Why? Why would she do this to me" Clary tested.

"She wanted to escape it all and you asking questions was creating a problem her." He stood up and gestured her Clary to sit. She did but crossed her arms.

"Just undo the spell." Jace commanded.

"The spell will undo itself. Clary had to come back every few years to have it recast. She was due a few months ago." He grabbed his green book and flipped through it until he found the page he wanted. Then placed it in front of Clary. It was a stylized eye. The longer she stared the more it seemed to move the ink under it separated from the whole and created its own shapes and spoke to her. It whispered different ideas. 'Observe', 'see', and 'clarity' all ran through her mind. The ink twisted into different versions of the same eye. Magnus slammed the book shut.

"Where did you get a Gray Book?" Jace demanded.

"Does it matter?" Magnus turned around a scowled at him.

Alec spoke up, "Probably not, but they are rare."

lary looked to Magnus with pleading eyes. "Will my the missing memories come back?"

"I don't know. I've never done anything even close to this. They might."

Clary pinched her eye shut. "So what now?"

"At the end of the day the Clave needs the Mortal Cup." Isabelle said quietly.

"This is what this is about?" Magnus demanded. "Every time I did Jocelyn's work there was nothing about the Mortal Instruments."

"The what?" Clary was bewildered.

"The Angel gave us three items: A sword, a cup, and a mirror. The Silent Brothers keep the Sword, The Clave keeps the cup, at least until Valentine, and the mirror has been lost to time." Jace explained, then he turned to the warlock. "We need to acquire the cup before Valentine gets it. Jocelyn was the last to have it."

"Okay? I am _not_ going to get involved with a mad-man's revenge."

"Yet you won't directly stand with the Clave?" Isabelle asked.

Magnus sighed. "Look, if push came to shove I would side with the Clave, but, my loyalty is now an unwavering oath. So get out. All of you, now."

They all dispersed throughout the Institute. Clary arrived in her room and immediately peeled off her dress. She originally threw it in the corner but then decided she should return it to Isabelle, so folded it and sat it in a dresser. While in the bathroom she washed off most of the makeup, but didn't go out of her way to scrub the eyeliner off. She slipped on a light pair of pajamas and flopped into bed.

Clary didn't fall asleep though. She pulled out a sketch pad and considered what she wanted to draw. Jonathon and Magnus were her first inclinations, but some of the couples she saw at the party sat in her head as well. Her sketch of Jonathan was as realistic as she could without an image. No matter how she changed it he came out looking sad in his stool. Clary couldn't decide how she wanted to draw Magnus, so he came out looking like a bitchy chibi. Before she could draw something else there was a knock. "Yes?"

"There is something I would like to show you." Clary was disappointed to hear Jace.

"Can it wait till morning?" She wasn't in the mood to deal with more of him.

"It won't be there in the morning." Jace's voice never changed from its straightforward tone.

Clary glared, she assumed that this was a ploy. "Then it must not be that great."

"Fine." Jace stormed off. Clary sighed and picked up her Magnus drawing again. This time adding a baby Jace to it.

"If you're going to be spending time with humans you better at least come home with some useful information." He said as he started walking away.

Jonathon licked his teeth and lips then pinched his face as he swallowed the blood. "Yes, Father." Jonathon took a deep breath and immediately regretted it. He wasn't sure how many ribs had been broken. The bruises on his face were swelling and he could feel them pulse with pain with your heartbeat.

Valentine decided to come back. He kneed down to his son. "We are _so_ close. We can have everything." Jonathon hated his gentle tone. "If you only behave for a bit more, you can have whatever you want. You won't even have to take the blame, if we get Jace back." With that he left for the night.

Jonathon laid on the floor for a couple hours before he managed to crawl off of it.

 _So I was skimming the book because I could not remember what happens in between the party and Hodge's betrayal and HOT DAMN did I forget how much of a creep Jace is. "and he'd wanted to hurt Clary more than he'd ever wanted to hurt any girl" (pg. 324) Once again I am completely stumped how Clare managed to not only avoid the Twilight hate but instead enlist praise._


	11. Clary is magical TM

Clary wasn't quite sure what to do with the new information. In the midst of her midnight drawing Clary had discovered that she could bend reality. She wasn't quite sure how she even did it. Clary was lying on her stomach drawing a mug. She found simple but realistic drawing to meditative and relaxing, a way to reset your mind before diving back into the frustrating hellscape that original designs brought. While trying to smooth the shading Clary had a vision. It was an odd symbol that she was sure she'd never seen before. Impulsively, jumped for the star steele and she drew it on top of the mug.

The symbol was just as strange looking in real life as in her mind. It reminded her of something that would have been in the Gray book that Magnus had, but nothing that she saw in particular. Clary began to trace it. As soon as her finger hit the center it slipped in. Her hand recoiled. She wasn't in shock yet, because Clary's first instinct was to deny that it just happened. Clary slowly pushed her hand into the page. Her hand wrapped around the mug. When Clary pulled her hand back and sure enough there was now a mug in her hand. "Okay" She whispered to herself as she sat it down and got up. She stood over the bed. This was some angel-shadow-magic she was sure, but how she of all people managed such an impossible thing was shocking. Was this common in the shadow world? Clary knew there had to be dozens of practical uses for such a trick.

She put the mug back in the paper and it disappeared just as it had been drawn. Clary was half tempted to go find Jace and ask him if he knew anything about Clary's new found power, but then she remembered his minor tantrum at her earlier rejection and discarded the thought. Clary carefully moved the paper on to the dresser. Then threw herself on the bed. Nothing was normal anymore and it made her head pulse with anger. What was Clary supposed to do with this? She debated whether or not Jonathon would answer his phone at 2 am. Would he even care? Her growing interest in him mildly concerned her but not enough to actually do anything about. Clary fell asleep.

Clary woke up late the next morning. Even after getting up she didn't leave the room. After getting dressed she reached in the drawing paper just to see if it still worked. Of course it did. Clary grabbed her phone and texted Simon about the newest revelation. She noticed there was a message from Jonathon. 'Your dumb friend got me into Dragon Ball' Clary smirked. Along with it was a video. The video was just a black screen with the words 'I want to die'. The audio was beautiful and complex piano music.

The phone was tossed on the bed and Clary laid down next to it. She took deep breaths and let the music fill her only thoughts. Her arms and legs dangled and released the tension that had kept building in her. A sharp note awoke her from her trace. She sighed and stood up. She texted back Jonathan telling her she liked it.

Finding the library required a stretching of memory but Clary found it. Hodge sat at his desk reading a book. "Morning, How are you today?" Hodge said on impulse when he saw the door open out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm doing good. Can I ask you something?" Clary approached his desk with her drawing in her arms.

Hodge looked up, then set the book down. "That's nice." He paused. "You may, what would you want to know?"

Clary sat her drawing on the table. He looked at it then looked at her confused. "I was drawing and this-" She pointed to the rune in the center of it. "-appeared in my head. So I wrote it down and now this can happen-" Clary reached into the paper and sat the mug down on the table.

Hodge's eyes were wide open. He stuttered a bit, "That's impossible." He picked up the mug and studied it.

"I know, but I didn't know if this was common and just something I'd even seen or something else." Clary crossed her arms for safety from his gaze. "I'm not sure what to do with this."

"I can't see I've seen anything like this before." He picked up the mug once again and tried to put in the paper. He seemed even more shocked that he could perform the trick himself. Hodge continued stare at the mug, until he sat it down. Hodge scrambled for a piece of paper and quickly wrote quite a lot down. Clary shifted her feet and weight as Hodge wrote his letter. He twirled his chair around and gave his fearsome hawk the letter. She watched as the bird flew off. Its wings blew a cold gust on to her at made her shiver deep within her ribcage.

Hodge turned back to her. "It's a miracle, really." He leaned back into his chair. "I wonder if this is why your mother hid you from the shadow-world. I'm just thinking out loud, but I wonder if she knew that you could do things like this."

"Do things like what? I thought all of you could draw those runes." She uncrossed her arms and put them in the pockets of her hoodie so that she could fiddle with the steele in there.

"No, no-"He got up to find something. "They said Magnus Bane showed you the Gray Book, but that rune is not in the book." He opened a drawer and pulled out an identical, although more beaten up, copy of the same book. "Even in more obscure texts, I can't say I've seen that before." He put the book in front of Clary and sat back down. "It's almost like The Angel sent it to you directly."

Clary pinched her faced for a moment. "Why though? I'm not a devout follower. I'm brand new to this world in its entirety." Clary put her hands out and curled them into fist. The shadow-world just kept dragging her deeper within but all she wanted was out.

"Well, I can't say. Why anything happens is a mystery." Hodge jumped with a thought. "Have you tried this with anything else?" His eyes shown with the excited gaze of a researcher.

"No…" Clary said, a little embarrassed that she hadn't thought to do that.

"I would like to see others could draw the rune and make it work. Would you mind creating more drawings?"

"It would be fine. I'll be back with my sketchbook." Clary ran back to her room. She grabbed her pencils and sketchbook. She briefly searched for her phone. There were messages back from Simon and Jonathan.

Simon was in shock and had sent a rant that questioned her sanity. Clary took a breath and decided not to even bother with him for now. Jonathan was a nicer 'thank-you', followed by complaining about his new found love of manga. Clary wondered when the two of them were meeting. Although it made sense to her that Simon might have confronted Jonathan about her being missing.

Clary put it in her pocket and then settled into the library drawing simple items. Hodge sat in his chair, awaiting his visitors.


	12. heatin' up

12

Clary debated trying more complex items, but ultimately decided that she was feeling too lazy. Within a couple hours she managed a mostly realistic eraser, candle, ball, and then drifted into doodling.

Hodge sat in his chair reading his response letter that the hawk had just delivered. He tucked it away then sent Church out to find the others. "Clary? Are you ready?"

Clary got up and walked over. She laid the new drawings on the desk, then turned to wait for the others. Her hands were sweating and she continued to play with the stele in her pocket. They all arrived together. Alec walked in first. "So what's going on?" He eyed Clary with a puzzled look before turned his gaze to Hodge.

Jace walked in and then dramatically turned around as soon as he spotted Clary. "Oh my god, Jace. Really?" Isabelle snapped at him. Jace stopped at the door frame but didn't walk back.

"Jace I need you in here." Hodge raised his voice. This brought him to the desk, although like any angry child, he made his annoyance known.

"Has Clarrisa rediscovered the wheel?" He asked.

"I might as well have." Clary frowned at him.

Alec muttered, "Exciting." Alec picked up the candle drawing on the desk.

Clary picked up the other two and passed them to Isabelle and Jace. "Okay, see this symbol on the mug? I need you to draw that on the drawings with your steele."

"Where's that from? and more importantly, What does it do?" Isabelle asked.

Before Clary could respond Hodge shh-ed her. "I want to see their reactions." He then sat back ready for his show.

All of them took their time trying to duplicate the rune in perfect form. Clary watched them in interest. They all had a careful but confident air to them. Clary could imagine them as children learning all the runes they knew effortlessly now. Their hands attempted to be as smooth as possible while drawing something completely unfamiliar. "Now what?" Alec asked.

Hodge smiled at him. "Touch it." Jace frowned at him, but did as he was told. Alec and Isabelle's eyes widened with shock. Jace simply reached in and grabbed it as if there were no problem. He handed Hodge a gray ball with no comment. Alec and Isabelle tried theirs as well. Alec could not get the candle out of the paper, which Clary half expected. It wasn't a fully realized drawing. It lacked real highlights and deep shading. Isabelle's eraser did come out, she stared at it in awe.

"How is this even remotely possible?" Isabelle asked as she put the eraser down off the paper.

"The Angel has blessed Clary." Hodge smiled wide and looked at his hawk. "and it seems at it works in reverse as well. You can draw something and place your object within it." All of the students looked at him.

Clary was confused. "Is that what your response letter said?" Did this mean it was common somewhere?

Hodge stood up. "Yes," He walked over to the library doors and shut them. Then locked them. "It's how they found the Mortal Cup." He stalked back over to his desk.

"Who found the Moral Cup?" Alec and Isabelle both practically screamed.

Hodge twisted a ring around one of his fingers three times. Then moved over to Hugo to pet it. "Valentine." He said softly. "I told him about Clary's discovery and it clicked for him where it was."

The Lightwoods and Jace became stone cold. Jace's face slowly turned angry as the betrayed set in. "You work for Valentine?!" The words said aloud set the Lightwoods into action as they got ready. For what they weren't sure. Jace knew what he wanted to do as he ran to attack Hodge.

Hodge wasted no time sending Hugo to attack him in defense. Jace screamed as a claws ripped and clawed at any available flesh. Blood scattered everywhere. The bird threw his blood around with no deterrent. Jace's hands could not ward off the creature. "Enough" Hodge commanded. His face stone cold. Jace fell to the floor unconscious. The bird had torn up all of his hands and despite his best efforts managed some blows on his face. His face was turning a crusted dark red as the blood dried.

Before Isabelle could make her move towards Jace, a golden light began to simmer behind Hodge. Alec stood silent, completely lost on what to do. The Golden light began to take form and Valentine was now standing in front of them all. Clary was sure it was him. His presence alone was all she needed. The man gave off a power and reverence. His white-blonde hair and deep scars only added to the effect. Clary instinctively took a step back from him. "Starkweather." He greeted indifferently. "I will be taking them both."

Valentine took a step forward to Jace. His face showed no compassion or interest Jace's condition. "I regret that you had to go to such lengths to calm him."

Hodge stood still in his place. "Do not harm them." He said in a vain attempt to assert his presence.

Valentine looked over to him, with a bewildered look. "You have already attacked him. What more can I do to him?" He then turned back to the children. "You must be Clarrisa." His eyes walked all over her just made no readable assessments. "You will come with me as well. We must be going soon. So come along." He gestured for her to follow as if she was an obedient child.

"I am not going anywhere!" Clary yelled. She stood her ground firm, not that it meant anything.

"You already have what you want. Don't destroy my family in your path." Alec chimed in.

Valentine sighed, then went to stand right by Jace. "Young Lightwood, I would like my family as well." He moved Jace's body to an up-right position. "And for the record, your family has never needed me to destruct. Your parents are more than capable of ruining their own lives."

In a snap Valentine grasped Clary's wrist and Jace's shoulder and they were gone.


	13. The Whole Family

_this is gonna be a hella long chapter_

* * *

Clary struggled for her life. She wiggled in attempt to get free of him, but by the time he let go, they were no longer at the institute. "Get off me!" She screamed and kicked. Clary put all the force she could muster into one mighty shin kick, but Valentine only flinched. He sighed once again and struck Clary on the side of the head and once again Clary's world turned black.

* * *

Jonathan sat next to the bed where his mother lay. Her natural paleness only added to the frailness that he knew father brought back to her. There was a scowl burned into her. Despite being practically dead for a week the anger in her face did not loosen. Jonathan thought about trying to ease her tension but decided he didn't want to touch her face, out of fear that she would awake to bite him. Father never let him forget how Jocelyn bit both of them. Lecture after lecture was drilled into him about the evils of this women and Jonathan found it difficult to disagree. Clary wasn't evil though. Although Jonathan thought Father was a malicious person and liked to believe he wasn't. At least not all the time.

Faint but angry high pitched screams alerted him to Valentine's return. Jonathan took a deep breath and braced himself just in case. The screams stopped. Jonathan didn't really care about the screams themselves but he tried to locate where they were coming from. It sounded like it was coming from the lower floors of the prison, maybe the center of the house. Jonathan just turned his head back to Jocelyn.

Father wanted a family again. He was ready to forgive her. Jonathan thought he could live with a mom. The image of having someone else care for him was very temping. A sibling was the complicated part. He knew about father's second 'child', Jace, but Jonathan hated him. He had never even met him, but listening to Valentine talking about Jace's actions and personality made him sound pathetic and despicable, he was overcompensating for his uselessness. Father's infatuation only made Jonathan more jealous. He could not understand how someone worse than him could be placed above him. He could get along with Clary just fine. She would hate everything for a while, but he was sure she would be fine. He was sure.

"Jonathan?" Valentine called for him.

Jonathan got off his bench and stood in the doorframe. "Yes? I am in Mother's chamber." It felt wrong but Father specifically requested Jocelyn be called that. Valentine's boots made a deep echo with each step. As he came in view Jonathan stopped leaning and stood up straight.

"Go back in." Father's face was softer than he'd seen it in a while. Jonathan followed him in but choose not to sit back down. Valentine sat back on the bench and stared at Jocelyn for a while. "We have it all right now." He didn't turn to Jonathan but continued on. "Clary figured out how to get the mortal cup. She found a rune that could slide objects in and out of paper." Jonathan had dozens of questions but choose not to speak yet. "It was very clever Jocelyn. Very sneaky." He turned to Jonathan. "She hid it in a tarot card. The Mortal Cup was masquerading as the Ace of Cups."

"How would Clary figure that out?" Jonathan choose not to bring up how amateur her shadow-hunter knowledge. He didn't want father to know that he knew much about her. He was already being too risky with her.

"Oh, I don't know. That's a subject for later. Right now I'm more concerned with deciding how to re-set our family." Valentine's eyes bore into Jonathan, he seemed sad. "I'm sorry for the other night." Jonathan shifted his feet awkwardly and stared at the floor. "I was very frustrated with this whole situation, but now that's over. Jace is also down stairs. I'm going to talk to both of them when they wake up." Valentine ran his fingers through his hair, not that there was much there.

Jonathan felt a bit irritated. "Why is Jace back?" It came out a bit bitchier than he hoped, but he stuck with it.

"I have a plan forming. I'm thinking we let Jace take most of the fall. He can be the next circle leader. That was probably my mistake with Jocelyn. I cannot hold a family and run a revolution. Even the greatest men couldn't. Jace is young and has nothing."

He got up. "I'd like to thank you for handling your new sister well. Even I didn't know about her. Another clever move on Jocelyn's part." Valentine took one last look at Jocelyn. "As for now-" He handed Jonathan a blue vial. "Take your mother back to the apartment. This is will wake her up. I am going to take the others the manor as a holding cell for a bit."

Jonathan held the vial with in his palms knowing very well his whole future lie in it. He nodded and activated the portal as Valentine left the room. A childish giddiness filled Jonathan's entire being. His thoughts no longer coherent and movements over-excited with only one question holding him back from pure glee, what would he say to someone who abandoned him?

* * *

Clary's head pounded. The source came from both, the side of the head and her forehead. She was laying on a cot in a dim room. The light came from a hand full of candles on a table beside her. None of which got rid of the damp and rotten smell of the room. Clary didn't stand up but tried to analyze what she could. The room wasn't that big. It was made of concrete. She could see light under the door. Clary sat up and regretted it, but she knew she had to keep pushing herself. Her feet slid a bit on the dust and dirt as she pulled them down. Clary let herself adjusted before standing.

Clary walked over to the door and listened for any sounds. She knew she couldn't fight so she needed a clear escape. The door was cold metal that felt nice on her head. She didn't hear anything. There were creaks and groans of the building. For a moment she thought she heard a mutter before deciding it was just more miscellaneous noise.

She walked back to the bed and sat by the candle light. Her phone and Steele had been sat on the same table ever so neatly. A shiny ring on a chain caught her eye as she put the other items back in her pockets. It was jammed on a candle. Clary leaned into the light to examine the ring. It was freshly polished with not a single imperfection on it. Clary picked up the candle and blew it out. She plucked it off and looked closer. On the top of it there was a star, just like the one of the steele. That's when it clicked for Clary, she realized they were clues to something. The quote on the side was different though. Instead it said "Family is forever." Clary shoved it in her pocket and decided to deal with it later.

The door opened with a massive groan. Her eyes widened and she frozen instantly, but no other sounds rang throughout the building. No one ran to discover her. Clary dragged more air through her lungs and took her first step out. The rest of the building was a little better lit. There were old yellow light bulbs every 30 feet or so. It looked like an old prison. Concert walls were covered with spider webs and dirt. The floor held trash and more dirt. Clary wasn't sure where she was, but it wouldn't matter until she got out. She walked down the hallway as silently as possible while listening for any noise. There were metal and broken down wooden doors everywhere. The hallway ended at a T-spilt. There were faint voices on the right side. Clary walked half way down the left only to find a downward staircase. Forced between getting lost and getting caught, Clary realized that there was probably more people near the entrance.

She decided to risk it and walk down the other hall. The voices got stronger. There was at least 2 males around here. This hallway wasn't as long as the other. They were very near. Around the corner. Clary squeezed her fist together. Then jumped behind a wooden door. She sank to the floor and listened.

"I can't believe Lucian just decided to leave like that."

"I can. You expect anything out of downworlders?" Another man replied a bit dramatically.

"I suppose you're right. Better for him to stay out of everything now." The man exhaled.

Before the other man could respond Valentine appeared. "Leave. You will be called upon if needed. I have already told you this once." Clary's breath got harsher. She could hear his heavy footsteps walk past her door.

The men gave hurried apologies then ran. The air was silent for several moments. "Clary, I know you are around here somewhere." Sweat began to bead down her face. She tried to stop her breaths entirely. "You will not be harmed. I've already sworn not to harm you and I stand by that promise. Although I'm afraid you will miss dinner, if you refuse to comply." Valentine walked a little back down the hallway. Clary frozen when he passed the door, but he kept going for a bit. "There is really nowhere for you to go. Jocelyn is with me."

With that Clary leaned forward to hold her knees but that only made the door give a small creak. She held her breath but it was too late. The door opened behind her. Valentine wasted no time making a move. Before Clary could even see him, he had grabbed her once again. He grabbed her and stood her on her feet. "This place is filthy, why are you sitting?" He tried to brush off her back. The shock wore off and Clary pushed him away from her. Although it just pushed her back into the dark room.

"Don't touch me! You've already attacked me once." Clary wished she had anything to use as a weapon. She tried to mimic a defense position to the best of her memory.

Valentine crossed his arms. His non-threatening and almost fatherly behavior was nothing short of suspicious to Clary. "I could easily teach legitimate you self-defense. I'm earnestly surprised Jocelyn never enrolled you in any classes herself."

"Everything was fine until now." Clary whispered. Her arms wavered a bit.

"Are you ready to come with me to dinner?" Valentine asked.

Clary put her arms down. It was a matter of survival now. She nodded.

Valentine navigated the building with no issues, making dozens of turns with barely a thought. "Who made you swear to not hurt me?" Clary asked with as much attitude as she could gather.

He smiled. "Your brother did."

Clary stopped dead. "I have a brother?"

Valentine turned around. "Yes. Jocelyn didn't care enough to take him." He said bitterly. "So I raised him." He kept walking forward.

"Hodge didn't tell me that." Clary followed.

They arrived at a metal door. "I'm not surprised. Everyone thought he was dead too." He pulled it open and gestured for Clary to walk through.

Inside was a completely different building. It was well lit and clean but styled like a royal chamber. Jace sat at a giant and elegant wooden table. He was surrounded by more candles obscuring Clary's view of him. Jace was staring at the table's centerpiece. It was an angel surrounded by fresh flowers. Valentine led her to the table. He pulled out a chair for her across from Jace. Clary was reluctant, but thanked him as she sat down. Dinner had already been served, along with glasses of wine. He still refused to look at her. So Clary looked up at the chandelier instead of speaking. It was large but not terribly complex. Clary could clearly see where each branch started and ended.

Valentine sat down at the head of the table. Clary's gut twisted and awaited horrid news. So she continued to examine the room. Cloth banners hung around the walls. One was a tapestry of an angle over a lake. She knew it had to be The Angel. The smell coming from below her was very tempting. It looked good. It was a steak and some vegetables. Mushroom, squash, potatoes, all of which were mouthwatering. "Jonathan. Are you not even going to look at your sister?"

Clary turned her gaze to Jace. He slowly turned to Valentine. "Frankly I would rather not."

"How rude." He said as he cut his steak open. "What a shame. You learn you have a mother, a sister, and an alive father, yet choose to be impolite to all of us?"

Clary shoved a mushroom into her mouth. She closed her eyes as she chewed the juicy, delicious little thing. Clary realized she hadn't ate all day. "Did you know you were Valentine's son? Or did you enjoy lying to the Lightwoods?" Offensive was safer than defense. Clary choose to mimic Valentine's movements and cut her steak.

Jace looked shocked at her accusation. "No." Valentine sipped his wine with interest. "I thought my father was dead. I watched him be murdered." Jace's voice got quiet. "It all makes sense now." He turned to Valentine. "I understand why you faked it and I forgive you." There was a sincerity that Clary hadn't seen in Jace yet. She studied while it lasted.

Her steak was a safe medium. It was also delicious. "Okay." She said thoughtfully. Chewing slowly to stall for thinking time. "That doesn't really answer my question. I asked if you knew your father was Valentine, The Exiled Killer." Clary knew she shouldn't have said that, but it was better than what she wanted to call him: The Fascist Leader who murdered people and probably abused her mother.

Valentine on the other hand didn't even seem to care. It's not like he could deny either. He continued to eat and drink while watching what seemed to be his favorite teen drama. "No, I did not know Clary. I thought my father was Michael Wayland. When people want to protect you they tend to lie to you." Jace spat back. He glared at Clary. "It makes sense to me now, now that he's told me everything."

"Your anger towards your mother doesn't need to be thrown at Clary, Jace. Nothing here is her fault. She's just as much of a victim in this mess as you are." Valentine said mildly then continued on in his meal.

Clary stopped. "I can't say I've considered myself a victim before recently." Her voice rose with her anger. "You don't even know if I'm your daughter!" she lost her temper.

"You will not speak to Father that way!" Jace threatened.

Valentine sat down his fork and knife very particularly and gestured to silence Jace. Then he folded his hands on the table. "Hodge told me in his letter, the one about where to find the Mortal cup, that you were Jocelyn's child. He said that you were simply going by some bastardized version of 'Fairchild'. So I'm going to assume that you must also be my child. Is that a fair assumption Clarissa?"

The use of her full name ticked her off. It was not his right. "I still refuse to believe MY Mother had anything to do with you."

"You can refuse whatever you want." Jace chimed in. "She isn't the angel you knew."

Clary pointed her fork towards him. "I didn't say she was, but she wasn't joining cults!"

"Ah, yes. Were you there?" He snapped back.

"Jonathan shut up." Valentine demanded. His face curled his anger towards Jace. "Jonathan is right though. Jocelyn not only joined a cult, as you put it, but she did abandon baby Jonathan. She left him to die. She hated him after his birth. Almost as if she refused to love him." He poured himself more wine.

"Well she was clearly right! Look at him!" Clary threw her arm out at Jace.

Valentine was trying so hard not to smile. He managed but only barely. "There's no way anyone could predict how a baby would turn out."

Clary shoved more food in her mouth and settled back in her chair. "Which Is it Jace or Jonathan?"

Jace decided to start eating, even though his food was definitely not hot anymore. "Jace is short for my initials. J.C." He said with a restrained voice.

Clary took a breath as she finished her steak and then sat her silverware down. She sat in silence for a while. Listening to the clacks of Jace's knife as he ate. Valentine just watched. Clary tried not to stare at him. He was attractive, even if Clary already hated him. "What do you want to do with us? My mom and I, I mean."

Valentine sat his glass down and sighed. "Our family is coming back together."

"We don't have a family. I have my mom. Which you have taken from me." Clary interjected.

"You were going to be dragged into the shadow world eventually. Wouldn't you rather be trained to fight now rather than when you're a struggling adult? You obviously have some interest in fighting, your earlier stance wasn't that bad." Valentine stood up and stood behind his chair. "The Morgenstern and Fairchild wealth is more than enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. You don't even have to be an active Shadow-Hunter, just have training for in case." Clary admitted it was an appealing offer, but angels and demons belonged safely in the world of fantasy. "At least give it a shot?" He asked. "Jonathan are you ready to go home?"

Clary stared at her plate, trying to cobble a plan together. "Yes father." He turned to Clary aggressively. "Are you coming with us or not?"

Clary looked Valentine dead in the eyes for the first time and said "yes". Knowing this was the only way to get to her mother, Clary walked through the portal after Jace. Hopefully Mom would know how to get out. She did once before.

* * *

 _-3000+ words jeez. I want to humanize Valentine and make him a more realistic abuser._ _(Not that it's difficult since canon him isn't even 2 dimension 10/10 writing)_ _I also want all the characters to be realer in general. Jocelyn and Sebastian are definitely gonna be gray characters._

 _-Tell me what y'all think. (I am planning to go back and do a full story edit after i'm finished)_

 _\- and the anon who just told me to watch the show: meh, I heard it gets better and I've seen some parts of later episodes, but in all honestly i don't really care. besides that i don't really i could ever earnestly love this franchise tbh. The books are so memorably bad that even if the TV show fixes it (as i've heard it does), i will continue to take the books more seriously_


	14. The Fairchilds

"This is not Home." Jace seemed confused as they all stepped into a luxury apartment. Clary hadn't seen anything so nice in quite some time. There was a brand new kitchen with a bar counter side. A long leather couch in the center with a flat screen TV. Nice decorations all around the place. It had a nice modern feel to it. Clary was legitimately impressed even if she didn't want to be.

"I'm sorry, my son but we have to stay here for a bit." Jace I've moved some of the stuff I still had of yours in that room." Jace still shocked at his surroundings, walked over the area to peak in. "Clary your room is right next to it. I took some of your clothes and belongs while we were in New York. I hope you don't mind."

"No Father." He said as he walked into his new room.

"I love being violated by strangers." Clary muttered as she walked to her assigned holding cell. The room was as sleek as the rest of the house. There was a bed, desk, and bookshelf. The walls were a bare white, except for a red star being painted above the bed. The bed had black sheets with a white spread. They looked like they had been touched at some point. The Shelf was full of unfamiliar but well used books most of which Clary didn't recognize but she was surprised to see a couple of manga volumes near the bottom. Clary ripped open the closest and sure enough found her missing clothes. There were about 12 sets of clothes in there that were hers. There were a couple sets of men's clothes. The desk had one of her newer sketch pads and some pencils. Clary sighed and sank into the bed. A sharp pain pierced her stomach. Clary pulled out the steele and phone and threw them further up the bed. Then laid back down. It was comfy.

Valentine appeared in the doorframe. "Look, I understand that you are angry and confused, but give it a try. You might find that you like the shadow world better." Clary refused to look at him. "Once you get comfortable we can start your training. I'm sure there's plenty of tricks your Mother could teach you." With that he shut the door.

* * *

Jocelyn wasn't much heavier than Clary was. Although carrying Jocelyn around the Morgenstern Manor was much easier than carrying Clary around some abandoned asylum. Jonathan wasn't sure where he was supposed to put her so he put her in the bedroom father set up, just to be safe. Father set up the room as if it were a temple designed to attract a goddess. Someone he claimed to hate, he treated like Aphrodite. It was complete with fancy bedding, designer clothes, and beautiful statues. Jonathan knew it was all a sham on Father's part, but still thought the intention was good. He placed her gently on the bed. Then he adjusted her arms over stomach, only to shrink his hand back. He thought deep down that she would hate him for touching her.

Jonathan uncorked the vial. He wasted no time opening her jaw and pouring the solution down her throat. Father didn't actually tell him how long it would take to wake up. He moved a chair over to the bedside then paced for a bit deciding what to do next. Waiting was an option. He could spend an hour thinking of what his first words to her were, but just sitting in place annoyed him. So Jonathan decided to cook her a meal. It was one of the few non-shadowhunting skills had and was proud of.

Cooking had a meditative ease to it. After learning to make a few dozen meals, it didn't require much thought. The kitchen had been organized to Jonathan's preference long ago, right after Father fired all of the servants in a blind rage. Jonathan decided to cook an Allicante style dinner. The food was probably the only good part of Allicante anyway. So he gathered his pans and ingredients and even brought out the special plates with runes in them to keep things warm. Within a half hour Jonathan had a nice lamb dish for her.

He walked slowly and carefully through the ancient house. Jonathan could hold the plate on his head and be fine, not that was a good idea, but the slowness made the journey less stressful. Jonathan instinctively knocked on the door. Jocelyn was still asleep. He took a breath and walked back in. He sat the plate on the desk, then walked over to her. Her face had softened to a relaxed position. Her breathing had risen to normal sleeping patterns.

Jonathan decided to find some comfortable clothes for her. Her current outfit had some blood stains and dirt that Father hadn't been able to get out. Most of what Father had picked out for her was Lingerie and other sexy dresses that Jonathan found creepy. Did he really think that Jocelyn would wear this directly after coming back? He pulled out some jeans and a red blouse. Then stopped himself, because his actions reminded him of how similar he was to his father.

Finally he decided to sit. He pulled out the Fairchild ring. Father had her wedding ring and Morgenstern ring. He held tightly on to them. Jonathan put it around his neck and pocketed the Morgenstern ring. He crossed his legs. He briefly wondered if Clary found her family ring. He was told to make it as soon as Father found out about her. Father didn't say when to give it to her, just to make it. He was sure to get into trouble for making it incorrectly, but Jonathan didn't care. Jonathan's only care was making sure Jocelyn would recognize him as something more than Valentine.

It was another hour before she began to stir back into existence. It was almost 8 o' clock. She blinked a couple times before rolling to face him. Jonathan leaned forward. "Valentine?" She said, both tired and confused. She sat up and rubbed her face. "I am not your wife anymore."

Jonathan kneeled in front of her and showed her his open hands in defense. "No. Please. Valentine is elsewhere." Jocelyn was fully awake now. Her eyes stared at him with the resentment he feared. "I- I'm your son, Jonathan."

Jocelyn's gaze softed but didn't lose any intensity. She cupped his face and studied it. "I thought you were dead." She whispered. "I thought Valentine killed you as soon as I left." She grabbed his neckless and recognized that it was the Fairchild ring.

"Well I'm not." Jonathan separated himself from her and awkwardly stood up. He grabbed the plate and offered it to her. "I made you dinner." Then he sat back down.

She accepted it but didn't even bother to look at it. "What do you want with me? What is the circle planning?" She demanded.

Jonathan was taken back by her directness. He figured she would be more like Clary. "Father said he wanted our family back." He got quieter as he spoke and avoided her gaze. "As for the circle, I don't know. I don't really care. I was just told to take you here."

"'Our family' what a joke." Jocelyn sat her meal on the bed and stood up. "If he wanted a family, then he shouldn't have given it up."

"I'm not Valentine!" Jonathan yelled before he could stop himself. "All I've done is exist! You left your son to live with that monster! You broke up our family just as much." Jonathan stopped and massaged the skin on his forehead then got up. "Look I'm Sorry. I'm going to bed." He rushed out covering his face as he left.

Jocelyn got up and walked around her new room. She stretched all her muscles but didn't leave the room. Everything hurt. He was right. She should have taken him with her to New York. Jocelyn moved her dinner to the desk. It smelled delicious. She hadn't eaten in the last few days. She ate slowly and thought about what to say to Jonathan. It was delicious.


	15. Chapter 15

_15 Sorry for not updating for 3 months then jamming out 4 chapters in a week. I just get into frenzies._

 _Also: can I some feedback? Even if it's just 'I am mildly interested in this'. My frenzy is starting to fade and some motivation would help_

* * *

Jocelyn's head began to hurt when she tried to think of every reason why Valentine wouldn't show himself first. Was this to guilt trip her? It made sense. Get her to love and care for Jonathan, who is completely dependent upon Valentine, then she will be forced to stay. Jocelyn had become somewhat of an expert at dissecting his plans. It would only be worse if he found out about Clary.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. It was 1 a.m. Deciding she was tired of this room, she grabbed her dirty plate as an excuse to leave for the kitchen. Jocelyn was earnestly surprised when the door opened. The house was dark and quiet. It annoyed her that she could still navigate the home with ease. Not that the kitchen was in a dark winding hallway, but still. The manor hadn't changed much. It was as if Valentine held the world still, hoping she would come back. Of course he couldn't live in his fantasy land forever. Valentine now had an emotional damaged 16 year old wondering the halls.

Her hand patted around the wall looking for the light switch. She was grateful that the Morgensterns weren't pretentious enough to deny electricity. The light revealed Jonathan sitting at a table. He had lost his shirt somewhere and was drinking. Jocelyn felt a pang of rage towards Valentine. Their son was already an alcoholic. His face turned from a mess of unhappiness and loneliness to a stone cold mask. It was a transformation she had seen many times. Jonathan stared at her.

Jocelyn put her plate in the sink and leaned on the counter to stare back at him. "I'm sorry. I should have taken you with me. I should have realized that Valentine would be just as abusive towards his own son." She debated whether he would be irritated if she sat with him.

"You're going to have to stay here even if you don't want to. Valentine is keeping Jace and Clary in another location. He wants to brainwash both before you're allowed to see either." He said without prompt.

Jocelyn's stomach sank as she herself tried not to fall down. Her hands and feet lost the muscles in them and her skin fell off. Despite that she gripped the counter for dear life. How? Why? When? Her eyes lost their focus in the room. Did this Jace person rat out Clary? "How did he even know about her?" Jocelyn whispered.

"She was at the New York Institute. The Lightwoods found her and brought her in. Someone there recognized her as a Fairchild." Jonathan just stared at her. "He had rats there." He added.

Jocelyn managed to find herself again. She looked over to him, although he could still see the hopelessness. "Where does he have her?"

Jonathan took another sip of his drink. "With Jace at the apartment. I don't know where it is right now though."

"Jace? Who's Jace? Another Lightwood?" Jocelyn demanded at him.

His face lit up with hateful glee. Her son looked more alive in that moment than she had ever seen. "For all intents and purposes, yes. But no-" Jonathan waved his left hand in the air dramatically and began his slurred rant. "Father stole some orphan and raised it like his baby, even though he was just gonna fake his death and give it to the damn Lightwoods anyway. He's now claiming it's his, and not only that but he's telling everyone that Jace is Jonathan Morgenstern."

Jocelyn sat down on the floor. It was pleasantly cool. "Then let him be. If he's Valentine's baby then he's far too gone anyway." She held her knees thinking about her baby. "Clary would never choose to be a Morgenstern and she doesn't have to. I made sure of that."

His blond hair covered his face from her view. She couldn't even begin to guess what went on in there. He had a mind of his own, it was just corrupted by Valentine's own thoughts. He stood up and sat his wine glass in the sink. He didn't even look at her as he leaned over her. Jonathan didn't sit back down instead choose to sit on the floor directly across from her. His legs were a bit too long for him, but he managed to sit cross-legged. Once he got comfortable he spoke, "I met her while we were in New York. I even managed a brief friendship with one of her friends." He smiled and rubbed his face trying to hide it. "I was actually really disappointed to find out she was a shadowhunter. Even though she looks so much like you, I actually thought she was you for a moment."

"How did they take that?" Jocelyn loosed herself. Her ankles popped as she rolled them and stretched her legs.

While rolling his shoulders, "Clary was quite upset to find out that I was a shadowhunter. Simon? Simon's only care was talking about his current interest. I liked both of them."

Jocelyn grinned. "Simon might as well be my third child"

* * *

After going through every item in the room Clary sat there staring at the door. She refused to fall asleep. Being asleep meant you were safe and sound. Nothing was safe. There were no sounds though. A faint clock ticking coming from somewhere in the house. Click. Click. Click. It never failed to hit its mark. Clary stared at her door well into 3 a.m before failing miserably.

A pounding at the door awoke her. "Come on it's noon." It was Jace. Clary was still sitting against the bed. She refused to open up her eyes, instead choosing to hold her legs closer to herself. The pounding came again. This time Jace took it upon himself to open up the door. "Come on." Clary opened up her eyes enough to see him towering over her. She faced pinched in a scowl. "We still have a lot to talk about."

"Go start the fourth Reich without me." She muttered. Jace just glared back at her. He snatched her wrist and dragged her onto her feet. With a burst of energy Clary pushed him away. Jace took a step back and she ended up stumbling backwards onto the bed.

"Do you not wanna know where you're from? How your rune ability works? What you even are?" Jace crossed his arms. "This isn't even about The Circle or the Mortal Cup, or even about Valentine. We need to talk about our family and ourselves."

"I don't care! At all. YOUR family dramas are your problems not mine. I want out. Not in." Clary crossed her arms.

"You think I wanna be Valentine's son? You think I wanted to find out I wasn't Michael Wayland's son? But I have. Family is family, and now you are family. He's the man who raised me and made me what I am." Jace shouted.

Clary laughed at him. "Yes, he's made a great man. I'm sure he'll make a man out of me too. I'll be defeating the Huns in no time."

"What?" What a poor boy, Clary thought as she continued to mock him. "Why did it have to be you?" He said to himself more than her.

"Is Valentine even here?" Clary didn't care what he was talking about.

Jace took a heavy sigh. "No, but he said to be ready for him at 12:30."

"For what though."

"I already told you." Jace was obviously annoyed and Clary was delighted. He turned around and fumed out. Clary hauled herself up and curled backward. She moaned as several bones popped. The fact that the closest held her own clothes still ticked her off, even if she was a little grateful. God could only tell what Jace and Valentine would have picked out for her. After taking off her jeans she realized just how gross they were. The entire backside was covered in dirt. There was even a new hole in the knee. She took the ring out and through it on the bed. Then jiggled everything out of her hoodie. The steele fell out but her phone was missing. What a shock.

She didn't want to go out, but the hunger got to her. Jace was pouting at the kitchen table. He was trying hard to not make it seem like he was though. "Eini Myni Mo" Clary ripped open her chosen cabinet. "Wonderful." She said as she opened the box of Poptarts. God had gifted her with her favorite chocolate flavor. There was hope.

"Really?" Jace judged as she shoved a Poptart down her throat.

"Oh yes." He rolled his eyes at her. Clary sat down with the whole box still in her hands. Not wanting to look at Jace, she took a second glance at her surroundings. There were a bunch of doors. At least a dozen. Each of which had a least 2 locks on it. Not at all suspicious. There was one that looked like a front door. It had 5 locks on it. That was the door Valentine walked through.

There was no real change in him since yesterday. Jace turned his head over to look. Valentine took his time with each actions. First neatly untieing his boots and sitting them aside. Then hanging his thick coat on a rack. He strode over to them and gave his unnerving smile, but said nothing. Once again, Valentine reached for his wine. "Jonathan what would you like?"

"No thank you." Valentine stared at him for a moment before sitting down.

"Clarrisa would you say demons are bad?" He asked.

Clary narrowed her eyes. "Where are you keeping my mother?"

He just waved her off. "You can see her in a week. I promise." He looked to Jace to second his promise. "For now, do demons, monsters that exist explicitly to destroy, deserve death with no amnesty?"

"Sure." Clary crossed her arms. See glanced over at Jace. He seemed a bit pale. As if this were a conversation to he'd already had.

He traced along the rim of his glass. "So, by extension, should the children of demons be killed as well?"

"No."

"Are they not also monsters? Vampires are creatures that entire survival is dependent upon death. As long as Vampires exist, they will kill people. It is simply their nature. In order for a warlock to even be born a woman must be raped by a demon. Is it worth the price just for easier access to magic? Faeries have done nothing but cause trouble for everyone during their entire existence on Earth. Werewolves, to become a werewolf is to be stripped of humanity and forced to live like dogs." Valentine studied her carefully.

Clary took a passive-aggressive bit out of another Poptart. "First of all, just because your father sucks doesn't mean you suck too. Like, that's basic individualism. Everything I've seen and heard about you, implies you're nothing short of an absolute bastard. You murdered dozens of people and lead other people to murder. Which you didn't have to do to survive, so that's really hypocritical. "

His face pinched in anger, but he just closed his eyes for a moment. "All in the greater good, my dear."

She swallowed her bit. "Beyond that, there's solutions to stuff that doesn't end in mass genocide. Again with the vampires, if they've already existed for centuries, then why haven't you guys figured out how to make synthetic blood? If you were going to murder them all then you should have done it a while ago."

Valentine tapped his fingers on the table. Jace spoke before him. "Clary, you don't know what you're talking about. Vampires are the result of demon diseases that plagued the Earth centuries ago."

"That literally has nothing to do with anything."

"So Clarrisa, Are Angels above us?"

"Literally." Clary briefly debated if she wanted another poptart.

"So are we, as Angelic Creatures, not above humans?"

"I guess, but you shouldn't kill them for it."

Jace interrupted Valentine. "No one has ever argued that." He could have gone on, but Valentine put up a silencing hand.

"You are even more angelic. You have more angel blood than most of us. Yet you deny your right to rule? Pathetic." Valentine got up in disgust.

Jace turned his whole body to face his father. "How does she have more?"

"Oh, I fed Jocelyn angel blood while she was pregnant to make her happier." He said off dismissively. "Clarrisa stand up."

"Father no." Jace begged.

"You too." He said back in annoyance. Valentine grabbed both of his shoulders and placed him right next to Clary. "Now don't move." Jace stood deadly still. Valentine walked over to one of his many doors and peaked inside. He whispered into it.

The door swung open and before Clary could even blink she was on the floor. She screamed the weight of the creature finally sat in. It clawed at her face and eyes. A sharp overwhelming pain hit her neck. She lost the ability to move the muscle. The vampire was already draining her. Its claw was jammed into her shoulder joint, rendering it useless. "Don't you dare Jonathan." Valentine warned. "They are monsters Clarrisa." He was standing above her.

A Shell-shocked Clary heard his words like a shotgun. He let the monster drink from her for another moment before stabbing it in back of the neck. It screamed as it collapsed on Clary. Jace couldn't even look at her corpse. Valentine picked up the dead vampire. It was a small brunette girl. "Jace please clean up this mess." With that he left out a different door.


	16. Chapter 16

16

After discarding the Vampire's body in the backyard, Valentine walked into his kitchen to clean himself up. He missed his home. The apartment was useful but not comfortable. He wiped off the blood that had dried all the way up to his forearm. It washed down the drain in a disgusting swirl. The white haired man noticed that Jonathan had made a mess, but had neglected to clean up. He was beginning to lack.

His disappointment stayed with him as he discovered that Jocelyn wasn't in her room. She had been here at one point. The bed was a mess. Valentine clenched his fist and stretched them out. He could not handle two mistakes in one day. Especially if Jocelyn running was Jonathan's fault. Valentine walked down the hallway in long, quick strides. He gently knocked on Jonathan's door. Then he slammed open the door. It hit the wall with a booming clap. He pushed the recoil back as he walked in. There was a shirt and a messy bed but no boy. "Wonderful." He muttered. "Did you take the other one this time? Did you think it would make up for it?" Valentine checked each and every room in that wing of the house. Even his own. His teeth clenched in a tight bind.

He stormed his way out of the east wing. Before he could reach the west wing he found them. Valentine flexed and released his jaw. In the foyer between the wings they laid. There were orange embers burning within. In a grand expensive red velvet chair Jonathan was passed out and shirtless. His legs over the armrest and the rest nestled deeply in the chair. Valentine bit his cheek. His teeth were going to fall out if he kept up this habit. Did he not care? About anything? In the equally fancy couch next to him laid Jocelyn. She was still wearing mundane clothes. Easily just as embarrassing. The beauty was on her stomach facing Jonathan. One of her hands was hanging off along with a foot. Her hair was a mess. She looked quite dumb with only half her face showing.

Valentine sighed and decided to take a seat on the other chair. He crossed his legs and stood up straight as he yelled, "JONATHAN!"

A horror filled Jonathan's veins starting from his heart and spread down through out each cell. It had been awhile since his heart had pounded this hard and had felt this level of terror. His eyes snapped wide open as he quickly adjusted himself correctly in the chair. Jonathan found Father staring, irritated at him. Jonathan's toes fidgeted. He clenched his hands together to prevent them from doing the same. His eyes locked with Valentine. "Father." He snatched a glanced at Jocelyn. She was trying to push herself up from the couch.

"So…" Valentine said slowly. "What exactly is going on here?"

Jonathan took his time. "We were talking all night."

Valentine closed his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why are you shirtless?"

Jocelyn fully rose and glared at Valentine with pure hatred. "Are you such an insecure piece of shit that you would honestly believe that I would sleep with my 16 year old son?" There was no fear or reserve in her voice.

Valentine clenched his jaw again. Jonathan guessed that a 16 year old Valentine was the last Valentine that Jocelyn liked. "I do not have the patience for this today."

"What was that dumb thing Simon said...?" Jocelyn ignored Valentine. "That's it! 'Incest is wincest'. Is that your reunited family plan?"

Valentine narrowed his eyes. Jonathan knew she was going to pay for this later. "Father is there something you needed?"

His glare did not soften as he turned. "I just came to see my wife and child. Is there a problem?"

"No Father."

Valentine shifted his legs. "Jocelyn-" He started. "I have to say you are quite clever. I would have never guessed where the Mortal Cup was. So I congratulate you on that."

Jocelyn's scowl was unchanging. "What's your goal here? Why the fuck am I here?"

"I would like my wife back." Valentine said simply. Jonathan questioned why he was pretending Clary didn't exist.

"Find a new one."

Valentine stood up and kneeled in front of Jocelyn. His eyes expressed something near real emotion. Jocelyn's hostility did not fade. "Who could compare to you? Beautiful. Cunning. Powerful. It would be a mockery if I were to replace you." Jocelyn showed her teeth in disgust. Then he snapped. Valentine's hand wrapped around her throat. The other balanced on the couch. She gasp. Pulling at the hand didn't help.

"Father! Please!" Jonathan got to his feet.

His nails dug deeper into her throat. "You will stay with me. Behave or you will never see Clary again." With that he released his grip. Jocelyn fell over gasping for hair. "Jonathan I will be coming for you at 4 o' clock tomorrow. You will meet Jace." Then he turned around and left.

Jonathan rushed over to prop up Jocelyn. She held her chest and closed her eyes. Her quick short breaths slowed to normal. She looked at Jonathan beside her with a deadly intensity. "We need a plan right now."


End file.
